For the Power of Love
by PKtofuMaster
Summary: A strange hit-and-run. Mysterious disappearances left and right. There is a sinister, overarching ploy at hand, and supernatural powers can only do so much to save four boys from internal turmoil. Love can be selfless, Love can be selfish...but at what point does it truly cross the line? AU. *1/24/17 Still working on Chapter 37*
1. ARC I: NAME THESE CHILDREN

_**~ARC I: NAME THESE CHILDREN~**_

**.**

"If you love something, you have to let it go."

**~Anonymous**

**.**

* * *

It was the first day of high school. An intimidating, yet strangely exciting thought.

In rising anticipation, Claus tugged on his khaki pants and turquoise striped shirt. He took surprising care to select clothes that weren't wrinkled or disheveled. First impressions were everything, and as hasty as he was, Claus had no intention of making a fool of himself in front of everyone. There was a good reason why "Freshmen" were also called "Freshmeat."

That did not, however, explain why his brother had wanted to spend a full thirty minutes in the bathroom.

Glancing impatiently at the wall clock, Claus danced on the balls of his feet. "Lucas! We're going to be late!"

As if on cue, his brother burst out of the bathroom, half-dressed and wild-eyed. "Socks!" he muttered dazedly, then started digging through his pile of neatly folded clothes.

Such was Lucas - a sleepyhead who could barely function at all in the morning.

Claus snorted, trying not to laugh as a now fully-dressed Lucas hurriedly double-checked over the contents of his bag.

"Do you think I should bring one notepad or two?"

Claus rolled his eyes. "It's the first day of school, Lucas. Teachers won't care."

Lucas bit his lip. "But I care..."

"You checked like three times yesterday," Claus said, exasperated, pushing him out the door. "Now hurry! Let's move!"

"W-Wait!"

"What now?!"

"You forgot something."

"I did?"

Lips threatening to curl into a smile, Lucas threw his brother an amused side-glance. "Think again. You're missing something important."

Claus halted, suddenly looking puzzled. "I don't think so..."

"We've always done it on the first day of school..." Lucas hinted.

"Lucas, I don't-" Realization slammed into Claus's face. "NO!"

"But it's mom's good luck tradition!" Lucas protested.

"Well, then screw tradition," Claus snapped. "Lucas, we were like, _five_ when we started this. Don't you think it's about time we grew up?"

In response, Lucas plastered a pathetically hopeful expression onto his face.

Claus narrowed his eyes. "Lucas, no."

Lucas continued to plead silently with sad eyes.

Oh no. The _kicked puppy_ face.

No one could say no to that face.

Claus averted his eyes, staring determinedly at the ceiling. "I know what you're doing, Lucas, and it's not going to work."

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

_Damn it, Lucas._

"Fine," the stoic twin grumbled, caving into his brother's wishes. "Let's get it over with."

As if those words had flicked on a light switch, Lucas beamed, dashing across the room in his haste. There was the rough sound of wooden drawers opening and slamming, then Lucas danced in, tossing him a spare hairbrush.

Within the minute, Claus found himself combing through his brother's feathery-soft hair. He sighed as Lucas mirrored his actions, feeling the teeth of his brother's comb prickle his skull.

Five seconds later, Claus threw the plastic hairbrush aside. "Okay, done-!"

"Sit still!" Lucas playfully stuck his tongue out at him through the mirror. He gave a wordless exclamation. "Claus, what did you do to your hair last night? It's completely knotted!"

"Who cares? You know how messy my bed hair is - Hey, watch the - OW!" Claus yelped, recoiling at the sharp yank of pain. "Are you trying to pull my hair out?!"

"Sorry!"

Entirely fed up with his twin's antics, Claus attempted to rise, but Lucas pushed him back onto his seat.

_"Lucas,"_ Claus groaned. "We're going to be late for school."

"Five more minutes!"

Claus heaved an impatient sigh, then rested his head on his elbows. Drumming his fingers against the wardrobe, he humored his neat-freak of a younger brother for a little longer before bolting to his feet. In one fluid motion, Claus gently, but firmly, set Lucas aside.

"Claus, your hair-"

"It looks _fine,_ Lucas!" Claus shook off his brother's pleas and rushed outside. His yell rapidly faded in the distance. "We need to hurry or else, we'll _really_ miss the bus!"

Lucas frowned. However, he didn't object, slinging his bag across his shoulder. Stealing a glimpse at the ticking clock, he sprinted after his older brother, only for a stray thought to seize his mind. Lucas lurched to a halt, hesitating on the threshold. Uneasily biting his cheek, he turned around, shooting a look of concern at the man slumped eagle-spread on the couch.

"Bye, dad," Lucas said softly.

Having doubled back to fetch his brother, Claus snorted. "I doubt he heard you, Lucas. He's either drunk or passed out."

"But-"

"Ah, crap! We can't be late on the first day of freshmen year!" Panicking, Claus dragged his brother along by the arm. "LET'S GO, GO, GO!"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The Onett city bus was historically ancient.

Caked in a millennium of rust, the wheezing hunk of metal smelled like old grease and sour copper. The floor bumped with every rickety crick in the concrete road, roughly jostling passengers and suspending them in air for half the ride. The only upside the bus had, it seemed, was the catchy tune filtering out of its black, feebly-flickering speakers.

There was good reason behind Claus's earlier panic.

They lived quite far from downtown. Because the school charged an exorbitant amount of money for parking permits, to head to school, the twins had to rely on public transportation. The city bus had several stops in downtown Onett; one of which dropped them off in Podunk Estates, from where they would walk all the way to the nearest school stop. The first city bus passed through Rural Tazmily at five O'clock in the morning; the next city bus wasn't scheduled to come for another three hours.

Which meant that missing the bus spelled DISASTER in capital letters.

With a cheerful twinkle of automated chimes, a woman's cool voice announced, **"Next stop: Podunk Estates."**

Claus poked his dozing brother in the cheek. "Lucas. That's our stop."

Stirring against his shoulder, Lucas blearily fluttered his eyes open. "...Hmrr?"

The impatient shove almost pushed his younger twin clean off the tattered seat. "Honestly," Claus grumbled, half-carrying, half-dragging his brother down the stairs. With a gasp of smoke, the bus rattled off. "I feel like I'm chaperoning a kindergartner."

"I'm not a kindergartner." Lucas yawned again. "I'm tired."

Claus rolled his eyes, then in an act of mischief, scooped his brother's satchel off his shoulders.

Lucas's eyes snapped open, registering the sudden lack of a heavy weight on his back. For a second, he stood, wondering what had happened before his brain caught up. Betrayal dawning in his eyes, Lucas whipped around.

"Claus, _give back my bag!"_

"NEVER!" came the swift cackle. Hopping backwards on one foot, Claus playfully dangled the two backpacks like bait, then blew his exasperated twin a raspberry. "Better catch me first, slowpoke!"

With a wild whoop, Claus tore through the sidewalk like a speed demon on steroids.

Lucas flailed his arms. "Not fair! You had a head start!"

"Nothing's fair in life, lil' bro!"

Clawing at empty air, Lucas doubled over to steal a breath. "...Claus! Ugh, too...much...effort..."

But Lucas wasn't giving up by long shot. Pride of becoming the Alpha Twin was at stake. If Lucas so much as _lost_, Claus was going to rub this in his face for a good week.

"I'm going to regret this," Lucas groaned, then kicked off, dashing after his twin brother. Great. They were going to be sweaty and gross on the bus _for sure-_

Another silhouette rounded the corner.

A thud. Two yells.

Lucas had clumsily tangled his lanky legs over another pair of shoes. Gravity took effect, and Lucas tripped, plowing face-first into his half-asleep victim. The unfortunate victim stumbled upright, now wide-awake thanks to the rude wake-up call. "Ow! Lucas, what the-"

"Sorry!"

Rubbing his head, Ness winced as his fingers brushed over a sensitive spot above his eyebrow. "What's the big rush?"

"S-sorry!" Lucas stammered, dropping to his side to pick up Ness's fallen lunchbox. "We were in a hurry not to miss the bus, and I didn't see you coming from the side. Are you-?"

"Hey, it's cool." Ness waved his apology off. "Claus again?"

Lucas nodded.

Ness cracked a good-humored grin. "I'm not surprised. He can't stand still for a single second, can he-"

"What happened?!" Claus popped his head out of a hedge. Shaking the leaves out of his hair, he took one look at their sprawled figures, then groaned, instantly deducing what had transpired. "Lucas, you _goofball__-"_

"I'm not a goofball," Lucas mumbled, snatching his bag back. Much to their amusement, his cheeks began to glow a faint pink in growing mortification.

Of course, his elder brother wasn't one to let this moment slide.

With a wide smirk, Claus poked his twin's face. "Heh. You look like a tomato."

Visibly flustering, the poor blond buried his face into his hands. A deep crimson flush crept up his neck.

Ah, Classic Lucas.

Ness decided to spare his best friend further embarrassment. With a huff, Ness replaced his cap on his head. Dark bangs rose, then settled down to frame his now-frowning face. "I can't believe it. I walk all the way from downtown Onett just to catch this stop, and the dolt who actually _lives here_ is nowhere in sight. Where is he?"

"Watch him miss the bus right when it leaves," Claus sniggered.

An indignant exclamation erupted behind them: the final member of their party had arrived.

Gasping for breath, Ninten doubled over on his knobbly knees. "Not. Late." He straightened his back and stretched out his arms. _"Phew,_ I'm beat!"

"About time," Ness added, thumping him in the back. "Where were you?"

"I hate my twin sisters. They're the devil incarnate," Ninten groaned, throwing him a positively _desperate_ look. "Ness, I can't take it anymore! Here, I'll even trade them for Tracy! Come on, come on, come onnnnn-"

"Sorry, 'Ten." Ness grinned. "Your sisters, your problem. What did they do this time?"

"Minnie thought it'd be funny to hide my bag under the stairs. Dad chewed me out and gave me a ten minute lecture."

"Heh. Loser."

"Shut up, Claus." At Ninten's disgruntled expression, Ness held back a snicker, but not one to hold a grudge, Ninten brightened back up again, bouncing back to his usual optimism. "Hey, guys, guess what?!"

"You finally acknowledged your own stupidity?" Claus said hopefully.

"You _wish."_ Ninten laughed. "No, my mom bought a new pack of Oreos today! And it's the _seasonal_ edition that comes out, like, once a year!"

"..."

"Shut up, Claus."

"WHAT?!" Claus looked highly offended. "I didn't say anything!"

Ninten's eyes narrowed. "You look like you're judging me."

"Really? Well, maybe because **I AM**!"

"Oh yeah? I-"

"Woah, guys," Ness said, pushing them aside. "I know we're glad to be bus buddies, but no more bickering. Please. Remember what happened last year?"

They gave a brief moment of silence for the lost silly putty. Then-

"He started it!" Ninten and Claus yelled in sync, pointing at each other. Lucas stifled a laugh. Claus's hair was tussled up from a neat duck tail into a shocking red explosion, and Ninten's hat had been knocked off his head during the fray. Noticing the cap resting near his feet, Lucas picked it up and returned it to its rightful owner. Ninten gratefully took it just as the yellow bus pulled over by the curb.

"Thanks, Lucas. I don't understand how someone as nice as you has _this_ demon for a twin brother-"

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" Claus jabbed a finger into his chest. "I bet you're still stuck on Level five in Drago Quest IV-"

"Level sixty-nine!"

"Liar!"

The two ended up bickering all the way to school.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The lunch bell rang.

Students filed out in a babbling sea of voices. Finding his own locker, Ness punched in the correct passcode and dumped his textbooks in. Just as he did, a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Hey, Ness!"

He turned around. His eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, hi, Paula! How was your summer?"

"Ahh, you know, same boring three months as usual." She grinned, a lazy smile playing on her lips. "You know, I'm actually glad that we started school. Talented Drama sounds pretty interesting."

"You're taking Talented Drama?" Ness asked, surprised. "I thought you were taking piano II!"

"_Ana_ is," Paula corrected. "And I was going to too, but yeah...last-minute schedule problems."

Ness grimaced as an unpleasant memory resurfaced in his head. "It could be worse."

Paula frowned. "Really?"

"I was almost placed into Ballet."

"...Ah."

There was an uncomfortable pause as both of them tried _very_ hard not to think of a Ness clad in pink tights.

Then Paula broke into a wide smirk. "It would've helped you with your flexibility-"

Ness shuddered. "No. Please, no-"

"I'm freeee!" Ninten burst out of a nearby classroom. He laughed, stretching out his arms to the glorious heavens above. "Ah, Lunch time, Our Almighty Lord and Savior-"

Ness knew a gift horse when he saw one, and gratefully took the opportunity to change the subject.

"Freshman English?" Ness asked.

Instantly, Ninten's face fell. "Dreadful," he groaned. "I thought I was going to _die_. Stupid SAT prompts..."

"We're starting SAT prompts today?" Ness grimaced, resigning himself to a boring class. "Fun."

Ninten nodded, sympathetically slapping a hand on his back. "I know, right? Share the pain, Ness. Share the pain."

"I can't see why you're complaining, Ninten. Writing an SAT prompt's like arguing for your own case." Paula mischievously cocked an eyebrow. "And every time I see you, you're always squabbling with Claus over one thing or another-"

"Not always!"

"You were bickering with him this morning," Ness pointed out.

Paula's grin widened in triumph. "I knew it!"

"Today was an exception!" Ninten said feebly. "We only bickered _a little_."

"That's nonsense and you know it." Paula frowned. "At least take pity on Ness and Lucas and tone it down."

"All right, mom."

Paula threw him a grin worthy of a feral shark. "_What did you call me?_"

"Nothing!" Ninten hastily changed the subject. "Ness, when's our first practice? I heard that you're team captain this year," Ninten said, trying (and failing) to ignore Paulas's gleaming eyes flashing rather murderously in his direction. "Freshman team captain too...!"

"Co-captain," Ness corrected, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "The coach happens to know me. He's in charge of the Youth baseball camp I coach for over the summer. Our first game's at the end of this month."

"WHAAAAT? That early?!"

"I know. Baseball season's starting earlier because of budget cuts." Ness shrugged helplessly. "Blame the Eagleland government."

With a contemptuous snort, Ninten rolled his eyes. "When is it _never_ the government?"

"Sorry to interrupt y'all, but I'd best be going," Paula said, lifting her rucksack onto her back. A hint of a lazy Southern drawl crawled into her tone. "I promised to meet Ana for lunch, so I guess I'll catch you both later. And _Ninten-_" Said teen began to sweat bullets into his shirt. "Don't even _think_ that I forgot what you called me earlier. We'll have a nice chat _soon_..."

"Yes, ma'am," Ninten squeaked.

Paula turned to Ness. "Friday at five?"

"Cool. See you later," Ness said nonchalantly. Paula broke into a genuine grin and waved them off a final time before disappearing down the hall.

"Man, Paula's one scary gal," Ninten noted, wide-eyed.

"She's pretty mellow until you touch her berserk button. Paula absolutely hates nicknames. And you did call her _mom_."

"It was just a joke!" Ninten whined.

"Everything's a joke to you."

"Not everything. I take _some_ things seriously." Dramatically flipping his bangs to the side, Ninten flashed him his trademark vampire grin. "So, what's the dealeo between with you and Paula?"

"We're study buddies." Ness sighed, reaching for his old, tattered history textbook. "Working my ass off with Paula saved my chemistry grade last year. But physics to her is like the plague. She's even looked up the syllabus in advance so that I can help her study for the first exam."

"Study buddies? Ness, you sly dog."

Ness rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that. Out of us four, _you're_ the hopeless romantic-"

"Th-That's not true!"

"Don't give me that, Casanova. It's so obvious that the entire school pretty much knows."

"I don't have a crush!"

"Figures. Any girl would be too good for Ninten." They whirled around. Claus was sauntering towards them, lazily twirling his keys around the tip of his finger. "Denial is the first step to acceptance. It's been years. You should _really_ find yourself a better hobby than hitting on every hot chick in school, or even better yet, get yourself a girlfriend, because whining about how love-sick you are about Ana isn't going to solve your problems."

Clamping his mouth shut, Ninten's face started to heat up much to his own chagrin. Claus smirked, taking vast enjoyment in his discomfort.

Claus was right again.

As usual.

Composing himself, Ninten smirked back. "What if I feel like whining anyway?"

"I will end you," Claus said flatly.

"Let's find seats, guys. The cafeteria's starting to pile up," Ness said, quickly changing the subject. Students were pouring out of the classrooms for lunch, and yet, a certain blond had yet to appear. "Where's Lucas?"

"He's not with you?" Claus asked sharply.

"Nope. Ninten?"

"Nay, captain."

A frown creased Claus's forehead. "I thought he was hanging out with you guys..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"-and in the other corner, we have the one and only, _widdle cwybaby wimp-"_

"Leave me alone!"

"Aww. You're no fun."

Lucas tried to snatch his music sheet out of Pokey's hands, but the bigger boy shoved him back, sending Lucas sprawling onto the concrete floor. Around them, oblivious students mingled in the courtyard, carrying their lunches outside to enjoy the summer sun.

Pop. Snap. Pokey cracked his knuckles. "Had a good summer? I hope you did. Because I've been looking forward to this ALL YEAR." Small, piggy eyes glinted with a triumphant light. "Not feeling so tough without your friends? I can fix that so you'll have _no _friends-"

"P-Please, Pokey, give back my music sheet!" To his own self-disgust, Lucas could feel tears springing into his stinging eyes. "It's not mine! I borrowed it!"

"Oh..." Pokey dangled the wad of paper in front of his face. "You mean _this _ratty-tatty thing?"

In front of Lucas's horrified eyes, Pokey slowly tore a corner off, all the while watching him with a wide, gloating smile. In a last-ditch act of desperation, Lucas darted forward, hoping to seize his precious paper out of harm's way.

But this open opportunity was what Pokey had been waiting for.

A strangled cry of pain tore through Lucas's lips as Pokey slammed his shoulder against the brick wall. Lucas squirmed, trying to wriggle himself free, but Pokey pinned his arms to the side.

"Can't fight?" Pokey jeered, twisting Lucas's wrist for a good measure. "You're _pathetic."_

Pain dragged a hoarse whimper out of his throat. Not two minutes ago, Lucas had been minding his own business, waiting for his friends to finish class.

Where had it gone horribly wrong?

Above him, Pokey seemed to be mulling over an "interesting" thought, and Lucas felt cold dread seep into his skin; anything Pokey found "interesting" most likely equated to "torture" and "suffering" on his own part. Terrified, Lucas struggled, clawing at the rough ridges of the brick wall, but the unforgiving concrete scraped against his exposed elbows.

Pokey's grip was too tight.

"You know what?" Pokey suddenly said, cocking his head. "It's our first day. I think I'll be nice."

"P-Please, Pokey-"

"Kneel."

Lucas's eyes widened. "But-"

Pokey twisted his wrist, cutting off Lucas's protest in another yell of pain. "You heard me, pipsqueak. _Kneel_."

Tears swam in his eyes, and Lucas squeezed them shut, trying not to cry.

Unfortunately, Pokey had interpreted his continued disquiet as defiance.

"The silent treatment, huh? Is the crybaby feeling bwave without his big, scawy bwother?" Fingernails dug into delicate skin, and Pokey slammed his shoulder against the brick wall. Lucas winced, feeling another spasm of pain spike through his arm. "I asked you a question,_ _runt.__ Answer me!"

"No, I don't-"

"_Kneel!_"

"Sorry! I'm sorry-"

"I don't want to hear your stupid _apologies_." Pokey's face churned a tasteful shade of prune purple. "Are you deaf? Do you want me to punch you black and blue until you can't stand?"

Lucas twisted around his tight grip. "I swear, Pokey, I won't get in your way again," he rasped. "P-Please, stop-"

"Oh boohoo, look at me! I'm a pathetic crybaby!" Pokey said in a mocking, high-pitched warble. He shook a fist. _"Shut it._ You're always in the way. You _and_ your stupid twin brother. You little-" The bully calmed himself down. When he spoke again, his voice sounded dangerously soft. "Kneel. _Now. _Or your _precious property_ gets it."

Pokey's voice dripped with disgust. Loathing.

_Revulsion._

Flinching at the pure hatred oozing out of him in waves, Lucas screwed his eyes shut, and slowly slid his arms down-

Suddenly, the force pinning Lucas to the wall vanished, sending him sprawling unceremoniously against the floor. Gasping as the impact pushed all air out of his lungs, Lucas raised his head, staring numbly at the familiar set of sneakers protectively planted in his vision.

"Get your filthy hands off my brother, _Porky._"

It didn't take rocket science to realize that Claus was _furious._ His entire face was as crimson as his fiery orange hair; his eyebrows, a dangerous V.

Taking this as the cue to intervene, Ness and Ninten rushed to Lucas's side, pulling him back up.

"Well, if it isn't crybaby's twin." Pokey laughed, pointing at him. "Hey crybaby, good thing your brother's here to _save the day._ How is it like to feel so pathetic?"

"Shut up, Pokey," Ness gritted.

Pokey's eyes lit up. "Ness!" he said pleasantly, stuffing his hands into his own pockets. "How are you, old friend?"

"You're no friend of mine."

"Ah, don't be like that. We were like _this_ until those two dorks came along." Pokey crossed his fingers. His features soured. "Then you ditched me."

"Um, _excuse me?!"_ Ninten snapped his head up in retort. "I think it's the other way around, jerk. Who sabotaged our baseball game in seventh grade?!"

"Fine. I was a jerk. I admit it." Pokey opened his arms magnanimously. "But those were the days of the past. Ness! I can still be a good friend to you. At least, a better one than those two. Crybaby and Lunatic. They make a perfect match."

Sharp shadows etched a murderous expression on Claus's face. Ninten shivered; if Claus had ever shot that death glare towards him, he would have fled the other direction screaming for his life. Meeting Pokey square in the eye, Claus lowered his voice into a deadly whisper. "I dare you. Say _one more word-"_

Clutching his bulging belly, Pokey laughed harder. "Listen to him, Ness! Their _mom_ died from a freak accident, so they live alone with their _dear old dad._ I bet it's all a lie. No one's actually _seen _your dad in years, have they? I bet he's dead too-"

Letting loose a draconian howl, Claus lunged forward, dragging his fist back for a punch. Before he could take another step, however, Lucas and Ninten had each grabbed an arm, digging their heels desperately into the ground. But even with two against one, Claus persisted, yanking against his restraints in wild abandon.

With a cry, Lucas tugged back his elbow. "Claus, _don't! _You'll get in trouble!"

"He's not worth it," Ninten said grimly.

"GET YOUR ARMS OFF ME! I'm done dealing with this crap!" Claus exploded, deranged from fury. "DO YOU HEAR ME, POKEY?! SCREW SCHOOL RULES! ONE DAY, I'M GONNA TAKE MY BARE HANDS AND-"

Ness stepped in. "You've done enough damage for one day, Pokey," he said in a low voice. "Leave. Don't think that we won't make you."

Smirking, Pokey searched his face, thinking that the baseball captain was bluffing, but his expression instantly soured when Ness looked deadly serious about carrying out his threat. Stealing a last glimpse of Claus, who was wildly thrashing in Ninten's grip, and then of Lucas, who was trying to calm his furious brother down, Pokey caved into an unpleasant scowl. With an angry swipe of the hand, Pokey threw down the music sheet, spun on his heel, then stormed off without another word.

Lucas quietly picked up the fallen sheet. The paper was crumpled, tattered with the rip in the corner, but to his relief, very much salvageable. He wouldn't have to pay Duster back for his undamaged score. With careful hands, Lucas smoothed out the edges, then slid it back into the appropriate music folder.

As soon as Pokey had disappeared, Claus fell limp, panting from exertion. "I swear, three years! Three _fucking_ years! If he tries to pull four, I'll-"

"That's enough, Claus," Ness said tiredly. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah," Ninten said, scrabbling for something in his pocket. He dug out an inhaler. "Just give me a breather..."

"I'm okay." Rubbing his sore wrist, Lucas avoided their eyes, withdrawing into his impenetrable shell; Pokey's sudden assault seemed to have shaken him.

Upon noting his brother's change in posture, Claus's throat prickled with guilt. He had been so caught up in his fury that he had forgotten why he had lost his temper in the first place. Briskly striding over, he ignored his younger brother's exclamation of shock, then began to scan him for any tell-tale signs of bruises and scrapes. Seized by panic, Lucas scrambled to his feet, only to yelp as Claus pushed him back into the ground.

"You can let me go now, Claus! Really, you don't need to-ow!" A flash of pain flashed through his eyes when Claus pressed on a sore shoulderblade. "Please, Claus-"

Catching the wince, Claus tugged down the collar of his brother's shirt. His heart twinged at the angry red skin over his brother's shoulderblades. "You're hurt."

"I'm fine, it's only a scrape-"

"A scrape."

"Just one! See, I'm fine! I can handle it, Claus-"

Claus snorted skeptically. "If you're _fine_-" He pointed at his bruised wrist. "Then what's that?"

"...Accident," Lucas said lamely, discreetly shifting his sleeve over his injury.

"Lucas," Ness said in a deep frown. "What did Pokey want from you?"

There was a pregnant pause; the uncomfortable gravity of what had could have possibly transpired weighed heavily on their minds.

Lucas swallowed hard, averting his eyes from their piercing gazes. "Nothing. Pokey...Pokey only wanted me to see me beg...and I almost did," he added in an inaudible whisper. Lucas turned away; the awful sensation of shame was back.

Hot, prickling shame.

"It's not your fault, Lucas. That no-good jerk," Claus muttered, throwing another distasteful scowl into the babbling courtyard. "I can't believe that he was once your best friend, Ness."

Ness winced. "Pokey has problems."

Claus threw him a terribly unimpressed look. "No kidding."

"No, I mean...it's gotten a lot worse." Ness's gaze turned dark. "Lucas, don't listen to him. You're not a coward, and you're not stupid. You're a better person than Pokey will ever be. So don't let him get to you."

Ninten nodded in agreement. "Pokey's just jealous because he has no friends."

When Lucas still seemed troubled, Ninten tried to lighten up the mood by changing the subject. "Hey, you guys want to hang out at my house after school? I need players for Brawl!"

Claus rolled his eyes. "You have four gamecube controllers. Play with your sisters."

"My twin sisters don't understand the importance of video games," Ninten sniffed, clearly insulted. When Claus didn't look sold, Ninten upped the ante. "Ugh. If you're going to be so stubborn, _Claus,_ then I'll let you try out my stash of seasonal Oreos. Happy?"

Claus narrowed his eyes in brimming suspicion. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. I'm just a very generous person." Ninten batted his eyes.

"How are you so addicted to that stuff?" Claus asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "I swear, Oreos are like your version of _crack_."

"That's right," Ninten said smugly. "They're my G-rated drugs. So are you coming or not?"

"I don't see why not," Claus sighed. He thew Lucas a questioning look, to which Lucas nodded.

All eyes flew over to Ness, and the baseball captain shrugged. "I guess. I've got nothing better to do."

"Great! Now, let's get lunch!" Ninten exclaimed, pushing all of them towards an empty cafeteria table. "I'm so starving that I could eat an entire picnic lunch-"

"You're _always_ starving."

"Shut up, Claus."

None of them noticed the lone figure watching them in the courtyard.

* * *

**Author's** **note**:

**Hello! I'm actually new to the Earthbound/Mother series (never played the game although I desperately want to), and it's something I fell in love with after playing SSBB. Correct me if any info I use in the story is wrong. ****On the other hand, this is an AU! Ana, Paula, Ness, Ninten, Lucas, Claus, and Pokey are all highschool freshmen. Unless if stated, family backgrounds will remain the same as canon.**

**The first few chapters might start off a little pointless and shallow, but the story will develop more tone as it continues to reach my current writing style.**

**I do not own the Mother/Earthbound series, Oreos, and Brawl.**

**Thank you for your cooperation.**


	2. Confusion

Podunk Estates was a rich neighborhood. Portly businessmen flaunted their wealth with luxurious parties and perfectly-trimmed hedges. Lush gardens showed off their vivid spring blossoms. To the ordinary onlooker, one could only _imagine_ being spoiled silly.

Ninten was not one of these people. He _was_ spoiled silly.

"Yep. My house. Cool," Ninten said, taking in his friends' awe-struck expressions for what seemed like the dozenth time. "Can we go inside now?"

"This never gets old,_"_ Claus said, drinking in the sight of the fabulous house.

"It does for me."

Claus punched him in the shoulder. "That's cause you live here."

Ninten grimaced, turning his head. "It's not _that_ great."

"Are you serious? We should come here more often-"

Ness shuffled his feet. Most of their hangouts had usually taken place at his house. He had never given it much thought, but suddenly, standing outside Ninten's estate, he couldn't help but feel self-conscious. What must his friends think about his own plain house with its cramped rooms? Forget _house_. Ninten's mansion dwarfed his home in sheer comparison.

True to his perceptive nature, Lucas caught the motion. "It's bigger than our house too," he added quietly.

Surprisingly enough, Ninten didn't look too thrilled about talking about his own house either. "Ness. Next time, we're meeting up at your place," he muttered, pressing the doorbell on his gate.

The gate opened, and they trudged through the garden. Butterflies of all colors swirled into the wind. Behind a shrub, the guard dog importantly perked its ears. A red collar dangled around its neck.

Ninten's face brightened. _"Mitch!"_ He dropped his bag onto the grass and clapped his hands. "Hey, Mitch! Here boy!"

The dog threw him a look.

"Mitch! Here boy! Don't be a sourpuss-"

The dog ran away.

Claus hid a snort behind his hand. "I think it likes you."

"I'll teach him a cool trick one day. You'll see," Ninten said happily. He picked up his bag from the grass and headed to the front stairs. This time, they didn't stop to smell the flowers. Ninten's excitement was infectious as he hurried them to the front door.

"Hey, what's the deal?" Ness said, surprised.

Ninten gave him an innocent smile. "Just want to go home. Dad's not here today." His smile widened, and striding ahead, Ninten spread his arms open. "My dear dad, the _defense attorney..._"

The mansion was somehow larger from the inside. Giant arches hung over the entrances. An grand fireplace sat in the foyer, empty and clean. Dark crimson carpet rolled itself over the stairs. Before any of his friends could admire the view, Ninten quickly pushed at their backs, ushering them up the stairs. With the air of being smuggled inside (_I'm not supposed to invite anyone over unless if we're studying, _Ninten said), they made their way up to the second floor.

In contrast to the cold interior of the serious mansion, Ninten's room was a funhouse. Untouched books rested on their pristine shelves, showing off their glossy spines. Stuffed penguins littered every corner of space: over the bed, on the carpet, teetering off chairs. A stash of video games proudly scattered itself into a corner.

Slapping the door wide open, Ninten kicked a penguin aside. "Home Sweet Home."

With a soft noise of exclamation, Lucas rushed over. He touched one of the books. "Ninten, is this-"

"_The Book Thief._ Yeah. Take it."

"I can't take it!"

"Take it, borrow it, I don't really care." Ninten yawned, stretching himself into a pile of plushies. "My dad always buys books that I'll never read. If you want it, then it's better off with you."

"I'm going to browse it," Lucas decided, tucking it into his bag for later use.

"Are we going to play Brawl?" Claus added, raising his eyebrows.

At the welcome invitation, Ninten eagerly leaped to his feet. He scurried over, digging into the pile. "Oh yeah, that disk should be somewhere heeeeere-"

"Master Ken." They all jumped at maid's sudden voice. "Welcome home."

"Seriously, Electra?" Ninten scowled, running towards her to block his room. "Why didn't you knock?"

"The door was unlocked."

Ninten made an undignified noise in the back of his throat.

The maid's eyes flickered over their uncomfortable faces. "Master Ken, as you know, the Mister is currently out on business. Are you aware of his guest policies?"

"No friends over unless we're studying," Ninten said with a bite of impatience. "I know, I know. We'll do homework afterwards."

A small alarm rang on her watch. The maid clicked it off. "It's time for your medication. Would you like me to bring it from the kitchen-"

"No," Ninten said rudely. "Get out."

With a curtsy, the maid left.

Ninten's sudden snappiness wasn't lost on all of them. Lucas shared an uneasy glance with Ness, who shrugged. Claus was the only one who seemed unfazed, keeping a careful eye on his bristling friend.

Sensing their disapproval, Ninten turned around. "What? Did you see how she was acting-"

"Ninten," Claus said.

Ninten's shoulders sagged. "I know," he mumbled.

"It wouldn't have killed you to be a little nice to her," Ness said.

His words must have hit a sensitive spot.

Looking down, Ninten shuffled his feet. "Well...I mean..." His eyes suddenly brightened up. He dug into the pile of games, forcing a smile onto his face. "Super Smash Brawl! Who wants to play?"

Uncertain, all of them glanced at each other. But Ninten had sounded so cheerful that they decided against bringing the matter up.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"'Ten, I'm worried about Lucas."

Ninten paused the game. "Is this about lunch today?"

"I can't help it. You've seen his bruises." Ness shifted his eyes to the floor. "Pokey's still dead-set on bullying Lucas, and I can't help but think that it's my fault."

"You know what they all say. Once a dick, always a dick."

"We're all technically dicks, Ninten."

Sporting a small grin, Ninten unpaused the game. "_Touche_."

It was just the two of them now. Replacing the book back despite Ninten's insistence to keep it, Lucas had gently prodded his brother out of his gaming stupor. Catching the time, Claus had instantly leaped to his feet and dragged his brother out. They couldn't miss the bus to Tazmily Village. Ness had forgotten how far away those two lived. He couldn't imagine doing the same. Riding the bus back and forth to Onett would have been a pain to do every morning.

There was a silence only broken by the occasional jam of gamecube controllers.

Ninten tapped his character into a dash dance. "But you have to give the Pokey some credit. I mean, who knew that Pokey could hold a grudge against Lucas for this long?"

"Could've fooled me," Ness muttered darkly.

"It's like he's obsessed with you."

"Ninten!"

"What? It's true!" When Ness glared at him, Ninten hastily added, "But in a bad way."

"When has obsession ever been a _good _thing?"

"Hey, look on the bright side," Ninten said, flicking the brim of his own cap. "If Pokey _is _obsessed with you, then Paula would fry him to crisp if he tries to approach you within a ten-meter radius! Problem solved."

Thinking about their avid study sessions, Ness cracked a small smile. "It does sound like something she'd do."

Then with a horrible _pikaaaa!,_ Captain Falcon knocked Pikachu off the Final Destination stage.

"What?!"

"Ooooh-!"

"NO WAY!" Ninten looked appalled. "I was distracted!"

"Ha-haaa!" Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Ness jumped up, jabbing a giddy finger into the screenshot. "You just got owned..." He zoomed in on the irrefutable evidence. "BY THE KNEE OF JUSTICE!"

Ninten rested a hand on his forehead and sulked. "Dang it. I knew I should've stuck to Sheik."

Sympathetic, Ness slapped his back. "Loser's lurgy. I would've won either way."

"At least it was an _electrifying_ battle."

"Oh, _no-"_

"This defeat was simply _shocking-_"

Ness scooted away and groaned, burying his head into his hands. "Why didn't I see this coming...?"

With a cocky grin, Ninten elbowed him in the side. "I guess I should _pika _better character next time. Eh? _Eeeeeeeeeeh?"_

"Your Pokemon puns are the _worst_."

"Jealous?"

"In your dreams, _crackhead."_

Tossing his head back, Ninten let loose a loud bark of laughter. Ness rolled his eyes and waited for him to goof off. Yet, despite the heat of their "Brawl," Ninten hadn't forgotten about their previous train of thought.

"Seriously, Ness? I wouldn't worry. If Pokey bullies Lucas again, then Claus would give him some serious shit. Besides," Ninten shuddered. "Didn't you see Claus's death glare today?"

Recalling the ginger's infamous _I-give-zero-fucks _scowl, Ness winced. "Don't remind me."

"Yeah, exactly." Ninten sat upright. "Come to think of it, has Claus _always_ been this crazy over-protective about Lucas?"

Ness looked disgruntled. "You tell me. Sixth grade called. They want my traumatized memories back."

"You know...I kind of wonder what ticked it off in the first place." Ninten stared at the toothpaste ad flashing on the TV screen (_Hippie Toothpaste - it's blinding!)._

Flicking off the power button on the screen, Ness crawled over. He poked Ninten in the shoulder. "Let's finish our essay. I feel bad for not doing any homework."

"My dad's not here. No one cares."

"Still."

Ninten heaved a huge sigh and tossed a penguin aside. "Fine, Mr. Goodie-Two-Shoes. Let's get the stupid essay over with."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Is this all we have left in the fridge?"

With a clatter of porcelain, Lucas nodded, setting the clean plates onto the drying rack.

Letting out a garbled groan, Claus bit back a curse, then buried his head into his hands. "We're low on food. Again. Damn it, I knew that I'd forgotten _something-"_

"It's not your fault," Lucas said softly, drawing out the frying pan and popping it onto the stove. With a sharp crackle, blue flames snapped out of the burner. "I forgot too."

"Still. When is Gramps stopping by?"

"Around eight."

Claus glanced at the clock. With an exasperated sigh, he let the dollar bills escape from his hands. Their monthly allowance slid onto the counter like scattered leaves.

Hearing him, Lucas paused, turning off the kitchen fan in concern. "Do we have enough money? If we don't, we can let granddad know before he drives in-"

"Nah, we have enough. Besides, even if we didn't, we shouldn't pester gramps unless it's an emergency. It just feels..._wrong."_ Stuffing their bills back into the "food and supplies" jar, Claus slid it back into the proper cabinet. Kicking on a sneaker, Claus rushed off, only stopping to snatch his keys from the tray on the shoe cabinet. "You stay here. I'm driving to the market-"

"It's closed."

Claus skidded to an abrupt halt. With a noisy slam, he smacked his head against the glass window pane. "OW! The fuc-"

"What happened?!"

"Nothing," Claus grumbled, waving off his brother's alarmed voice. "I just did an epic face-splat against the door."

Lucas gave a snort of laughter, ducking his head as he chopped the green onions. The blade punched the wooden cutting board in a series of dull, rhythmic thunks. "I figured."

"Yeah, whatever. Laugh all you want, _goofball_. Mistakes happen." Embarrassed, Claus shifted his eyes to the window. "Why is the market closed today?"

"It's past six. There's a music festival downtown tonight."

In a fluid motion, Claus snapped his fingers. "Right! The festival. Traffic's going to be a pain." With a disappointed sigh, Claus dropped his rattling keys back onto its designated tray. "I guess we'll just have to buy breakfast on the way to school. Or skimp 'till lunch. Cafeteria's serving Jambalaya - _w__ay _better than hotdogs in my opinion."

Lucas fell silent. "Then dad won't have anything to eat," he said quietly.

"So? Lucas, he's got a job. He's an _adult_. He can go out and buy whatever he likes for himself! We don't have to cook for him all the time." Watching him intently, Claus drew his features into a subtle frown. "And what are you doing? I thought it was my turn to cook."

"You vacuumed twice last week," Lucas responded, shaking him off. "I'm just making up for my lost chore."

"You had choir practice. That hardly counts!" Claus said indignantly, sliding off his chair. "Besides, I'll be out for solar car towards the end of the semester. Lucas, you _really_ don't have to make up your chores-"

"A missed chore is still a chore."

The sound of Canola oil snapping and sizzling on the pan filled their ears.

Finally, Claus walked over and pushed him aside. His mutter was barely audible over the oil. "Fine, we'll make him a sandwich or something. I mean...he might not eat it, but that's his problem. Now move over, I want to help you cook."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus loathed dinner time for several reasons.

It wasn't the food. Perhaps their grandfather was a terrible cook, but Lucas could whip up some pretty delicious omelets in a jiffy. And whenever they got sick of cooking, frozen food every once in a while never killed anyone.

No, it wasn't the food.

Every time Alec stopped by, he always insisted that they all eat at the same time.

"You call ourselves a family?" Alec grumbled, pushing a reluctant Claus into the dining room. "Hah! Family, my old cane. I never saw a _family_ that didn't spend more than three seconds in the same room except for _ours_."

Stony-faced, Claus found himself sitting across from his father. Without a single word, the elder twin picked at his own omelet. The fork carved a gritty scrape from the porcelain plate.

Reason number two.

After their mother's death, his dad had turned to drinking to cope. Gone was the practical, fun-filled family man, only to be replaced by the pitiful excuse of an alcoholic. Gleaming contents sloshed within their confinements. Messy glasses surrounded Flint in a make-shift barrier from reality.

Drink and work. Drink and work.

It was all the silent man seemed to live for.

Another pop and a hiss. Flint had cracked open another bottle of _Shiraz. _

Knitting his eyebrows together, Claus scowled into his plate.

Nearby, he registered Alec trying to start off a conversation, and Lucas responding over-enthusiastically to his comments. Lucas shot him a few side-glances, but reluctantly stopped when Claus showed no signs of wanting to speak. With the absence of both his father and brother from the conversation, Lucas's weak efforts to talk dwindled and died, leaving pained silence to stew in the dining hall.

Flint's omelet still sat untouched on his plate.

It was a cold fact everyone noticed, but no one dared to speak of it. Their father might as well have been an estranged stranger.

Finally, Alec rose to his feet, brushing away all the unopened caskets of alcohol into an empty crate. "Flint, I think you've had enough to drink. Eat. Get some food into tha' stomach."

Talking to Flint nowadays was akin to walking on broken glass. Alec was taking a gamble, and they knew it. Ninety percent of the time, Flint seemed hard of hearing.

Ten percent of the time, things spiraled downhill.

But Flint gave no note of Alec's words, opting to grope for the now-empty bottle with glassy eyes. He hiccuped once, an eerie sound that raised the hair on their arms, then swung the bottle around, unevenly shaking its nonexistent contents.

"It's empty." Curling his fingers around the bottleneck, Flint gripped it with white, bloodless knuckles. "All empty inside..."

Claus stiffened.

Not knowing what to do, Lucas slid the food closer with helpless fingertips; the full plate clinked in contact with another empty glass. "Dad..."

Flint said nothing, reaching for another bottle with a ragged breath. The bitter tang of alcohol wafted into their noses.

Realizing that their words weren't reaching the drunken man, Alec turned to face his grandsons. Their expressions tore at his weather-beaten heart: Lucas was watching his father in a quiet sort of melancholy while Claus's face had hardened in a simmering glower.

"Don't mind him, boys!" Alec said, trying to remain upbeat. "Your father seems to have had too much to drink tonight. Let's eat before the food gets cold-"

"It's already gone cold_,_" Claus snapped. His voice dripped with barely-disguised disgust. "What's the point, gramps? He's not going to eat. He's already wasted."

Flint snapped his head towards him.

"Claus..." Lucas warned, wary eyes fixed on his father.

Ignoring Alec's shocked squawk, Claus jumped to his feet. "We made dinner for you...and this is the sorry thanks we get." His voice broke in barely-contained rage. "Lucas spent an ENTIRE HOUR slaving over the stove just because _you_ were too stubborn not to eat-"

"Sit _down,_ Claus!" Lucas whispered, looking frightened. He tried to tug his twin back into his seat. "Dad, it's okay! I messed up! I'm sorry; I knew I shouldn't have cooked omelets twice in a row-"

"NO!" Claus shrieked, twisting his arm out of his brother's grip and jabbing a finger towards the motionless figure at the table. "I've had it with _you_ treating us like _we_ don't exist! So stop acting like you're the only one who understands! Because you're _not!_ You're not the only one who lost her! WE ALL DID!"

Silence followed his forbidden tirade.

For several teetering seconds, the man stared hard at his eldest son.

Then the taut string snapped.

Flint bashed his empty wine bottle against the table with a crisp crunch. With a sickening crack and heavy thud, the wood groaned and gave way, snapping into two from the force of the blow. Sharp pieces of glass rained down against them like hail, and Claus instinctively lifted his arms to shield his eyes.

Breathing hard, his father rose, easily withering him with his bulky height. His dark brown eyes looked positively unnerving in the dim light. "Never take that tone with me." His voice had lowered itself into a dangerous baritone. "Understood?"

Terrified by his sudden change in demeanor, all the blood had drained out of Claus's face. Claus had clearly bitten off more than he could chew. "Yes, sir."

Almost as abruptly as it had occurred, Flint stalked out without another word, yanking his hat off its hook. The resulting slam shook the house to its foundations, rattling the wooden walls in a sprinkling shower of sawdust.

"You fool!" Claus flinched; their grandfather's face was pale in comparison to his yellowed, gritted teeth. "Claus, that's quite enough. Take out the trash! Lucas, help me find your father. _Someone_ needs to bring him home."

Tugging on his sheep-wool coat, Alec wiped his grimy glasses once, then marched out the door, muttering choice phrases under his breath.

Fuming from the injustice of it all, Claus looked far from finished. He opened his mouth, ready to continue his unfinished rant, but Lucas squeezed his hand hard.

Annoyed, Claus flitted his eyes towards his twin, but froze, watching a tear of crimson ooze out of the shallow cut; a flying piece of glass must have caught Lucas in the cheek. It was a small cut, barely a centimeter deep, but rekindled with violent fury, Claus turned around, ready to confront his father - and perhaps beat the sense into him, _because DAMN the consequences - _when Lucas shook his head, silently tugging on his arm. His blue eyes were painstakingly sad, but the meaning behind Lucas's unspoken words were clear.

_Not now._

Biting back his bitter words, Claus turned away, allowing Lucas to steer him out. There was a brief pause as Lucas clicked the lights off; then everything was swallowed up in the shadow of the night.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Flint had shattered two plates.

Two of _Mom's_ plates.

Seething with fury, Claus dumped the trashbags into the dustbins, then doubled back home. He _knew_ they should've used the disposable ones, but _Lucas_ had insisted that using mom's plates would've cheered dad up.

Fat load of good that had done.

A silhouette blocked his path, and Claus halted in his tracks. The two stiffly locked eyes.

"Your brother found your old man in the woods." Alec's voice brimmed with disapproval. He had the look again, the _young man, you are in big trouble_ look. "He's settling him down to bed."

"That's...great."

"I'm very disappointed in you."

"He asked for it-"

"You should've known better than to provoke him."

While arguments between Claus and Flint were far from rare, none of them was pleasant to witness. The father-son bond had all but died, burnt up into crisp by the fires of hatred and neglect. As loose as it was, Lucas was the only thread linking the two together; even so, it was a miracle, in Alec's opinion, that neither opposing party had completely snapped.

Alec shook his head, then cleared his throat with a dry cough. "Chin up, sonny. Today wasn't a... _total_ disaster. Try to get along with your father the best you can, even if he's being difficult. _Especially_ when he's being difficult."

"He's always _being difficult," _Claus muttered, clenching his fists. "Why do I have to put up with him?"

"Because he's your father."

"He _was _my father. Not anymore." Claus drew in a shaky breath. "I hate him, gramps."

"Don't say that."

"I hate him."

"Do you think that you're acting like the perfect role model?!" Alec voiced sharply, and thoroughly chastised, Claus recoiled, dropping his eyes in shame. Realizing that he had been a little too harsh, Alec's gaze softened. "If you can't do it for yourself, then at least keep the peace for your brother. For Lucas's sake."

After a momentous pause of thought, Claus raised his head. "Right," he muttered. His words sounded extremely bitter. "I'll try."

Alec's eyes flickered to the worn, steel-studded watch on his own arm. "I checked the fridge. Lucas told me that you're low on food. I'll bring groceries back early in the morning. The usual time." Alec's eyes held a silent warning. "Don't disturb your father."

Claus said nothing.

Feeling his own throat close up, Alec watched his protege's sagging form.

_No child deserves an absent mother._

_No child deserves this fate._

The passing years had dulled the pain of loss, but the throbbing heart-ache remained.

_My daughter...My poor, sweet Hinawa..._

Alec didn't think he could endure the tight, sinking feeling in his chest any longer. Even _looking_ at his grandsons triggered the bad memories, the awful, sinking sensation.

He couldn't stay here much longer.

He had to leave.

Trying not to break out into a dead sprint, Alec hobbled over to his car. He knew that he was hypocritical: he had a house. A refuge. A safe haven he could run to and call "_home"_.

Lucas and Claus didn't have any of those things. The twins couldn't run away like he could - _W__here would they go?_ They were trapped.

Trying to force down his guilt, the old man revved up the engine and peeled away from the driveway. A sputter of exhaust, a blink of a headlight, then Alec had all but vanished into the freeway.

Claus's haunting stare bore through his skull the entire trip home.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Dad, I'm sorry about dinner earlier. Claus is sorry too."

"..."

"The table's broken, but w-we can always buy a new one..."

"..."

"I know that you didn't mean it."

"..."

"Goodnight, dad."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Claus...?"

Knocking once, Lucas risked a peek inside their shared bedroom.

Claus made no effort to respond to his presence. Arms crossed behind his head, his older brother twin lay sprawled on his side, staring up at the ceiling.

Lucas paused, eyeing him in concern. It couldn't have been a comfortable position; thick, corded knots jutted out of Claus's shoulders, trembling from the exertion of staying fixedly in place.

With careful hands, Lucas shut the door. Soft socks dragged along the carpet, nuzzling the snug floor before lifting themselves into his brother's bed. The mattress dipped with a creak as Lucas crouched, sinking into the pillows beside him.

Realizing that he was still scowling, Claus forced a smile onto his face. "Hey. How's your face?"

"It's just a scratch," Lucas said softly, lifting a finger to feel the barely-noticeable scab. "I almost forgot it was there."

A pause, then the mattress dipped deeper as Claus shifted his weight. "...Here?"

A shivery-soft sensation tickled his cheek. Lucas corrected him, gently guiding the hand lower. "Here."

An unreadable expression entered Claus's eyes. The elder twin quietly withdrew, flickering his eyes down to the sheets. "Sorry about dinner."

Lucas took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry."

Claus cricked his neck in surprise. "What the hell are you saying sorry for?" he exclaimed, ruefully rubbing his sore neck. "It's not _your_ fault that I lit the fuse!"

"I should stand up for you," Lucas said quietly. "You have no idea how much I want to, Claus. I _really_ do."

Claus shrugged, continuing his silent vigil of the ceiling. "Forget about it. I don't want you getting caught up in our feud." The bitterness was back, seeping into his voice. "But I still don't know why you call _that man _our dad. Because he's not."

Lucas swallowed hard. "Claus..."

"No."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Gramps is bringing in groceries," Claus said abruptly. "He'll be back in the morning."

"I saw you two talking outside," Lucas caught on, changing the subject. Suddenly seized by a stray thought, he panicked, bolting upright on the bed. "Oh no! Did he ground you? Are you in trouble? Gah, I should've-"

"Quit worrying, goofball," Claus interrupted, rolling his eyes. "I'm not in trouble."

Lucas blinked. "You're... _not?"_

"I don't always cause trouble!"

"That's a first," Lucas agreed, lazily stretching his arms out like a cat. Lanky legs sprawled over his brother's back, and with a scowl, Claus smacked them aside.

Looking up, Lucas cracked a sleepy grin. "Hothead."

"That's it." Annoyed, Claus shoved a hand into his brother's laughing face. "Get off my bed!"

"Why?"

"Because." Claus socked him in the shoulder. "That's why."

"Ow..." Lucas whined, rubbing his arm.

"You're such a baby."

"Am not!"

"Yeah, you are," Claus smirked, poking his cheek. "_Baby-face_."

"I'm not a baby!" Lucas protested, a flustered blush starting to creep down his neck.

To his own chagrin, Claus clutched his ribs, bursting out into loud laughter, and in retaliation, Lucas smacked him in the face with a pillow.

Claus sputtered, spitting out feathers from his mouth. "W-What was that for?"

"Serves you right for laughing at me," Lucas said seriously, even though the corners of his lips were threatening to quirk upwards.

"Oh?" Claus shot him a wicked grin, then crawled closer on all fours. "Two can play that game."

The sudden change in demeanor wiped the smile off Lucas's face.

"Uh…Claus?" Lucas eyed him nervously, scooting backwards to the edge of the mattress. "Why are you grinning like that? And...why are you creeping closer?" Lucas blanched, then scrambled away on his knees. "Oh no! Oh no, no, no, no-AAAUGH!"

Springing onto his haunches, Claus tackled his younger brother off the bed. With a thump, two bodies rolled onto the carpeted floor, and seized by a wicked streak, Claus lunged in for the kill.

"TICKLE FIGHT!"

"AHHH! CLAUS! S-Stoppit, I'm sorry, no, don't-Haahaha!" Lucas shrieked with laughter as Claus attacked his ticklish sides, then collapsed limply in defeat. "Okay, you win! I'm sorry. Stop. Please."

"..."

"Claus? Get your hands off my feet! NoooOO!"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

A rooster's proud call cut through the light of sunrise.

Tugging out the keys from the ignition, an exhausted Alec slid out of the driver's seat as soon as the hum of the engine died. He frowned at the lack of light in the first floor; the boys should've been up by now. Bewildered by the unusual silence, Alec dragged in his grocery bags, greeting the happy kitchen tiles with a loud rustle of plastic.

But the kitchen was empty.

Tightly gripping his wooden cane with wrinkled fingers, the old man trudged upstairs to check on his two grandsons. With each step, his trepidation rose like a wave, threatening to break his character, but Alec never faltered; in no time, he had arrived on the landing of the second floor. Gently, the old man turned the door knob of the bedroom by a tiny sliver.

One bed was neglected, its sheets messy and creased.

However, the same couldn't be said for the other.

A snoring Claus was sleeping soundly into a pillow, one arm draped protectively over his snoozing twin brother.

Alec quietly shut the door.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Last night, I dreamed it was snowing. I think there was even a campfire..."

The elder twin snorted, not tearing his eyes away from the window. "Well, that's informative."

Catching his tone, Lucas meekly peered up at him. "Sorry about the alarm."

"Yeah, no kidding." Catching the look on his brother's face, Claus's expression softened. "Don't worry; it happens. I've set the alarm for PM instead of AM loads of times before."

"No wonder we missed the bus. Thanks for picking us up, Duster."

His music mentor shrugged his shoulders, as good-natured and gentle as ever. "Not a problem. We all oversleep every now and then," he said kindly, peering at them through the back-view mirror. "Lucas, since we have practice today, I'll pick you up after school. You too, Claus."

Claus perked up in his seat. "Is DCMC hosting a recital at Fourside soon? Oh boy!" he said excitedly before covering his mouth with a not-so-subtle cough. "I mean, I'll go if I'm not too busy then..."

Hiding a grin, Lucas nodded, rummaging through his bag. "I think I left the tickets at home, but in case I forget, you could always pass for me."

"Probably." Claus glanced at his watch, then relaxed in relief. "Thanks to Duster, we should arrive at school on tim-OH NO, HE DIDN'T! _MOVE,_ ASSHOLE!" Claus suddenly swore, making Lucas jump in his seat. The car jolted to a halt. Upon closer inspection, Lucas realized that Claus had not been talking to him, but to the driver in the front vehicle; the potential collision could've crushed the hood of their car if Duster hadn't braked on time. "Damn. What's with these drivers? I hate it when they don't signal a turn!"

Lucas warily peered through the windshield. "You need to work on your road rage."

"No, I don't." Completely sold about his own conviction, Claus huffed, crossing his arms. "I swear, these drivers are going to kill someone one day. Duster, your amazing reflexes saved our heads."

"I don't know about that." Amused by his antics, Duster allowed himself a small chuckle, swerving the car into a free lane out of the highway. "I guess the two weeks of Driving School finally paid off. Everyone all right back there?"

From behind came two murmurs of assent. After a mad scramble for their bags, which had slid off their seats in the fray, Lucas stared out the window, watching his reflection through side-wing mirror. "Claus, do you believe in dreams?"

His elder twin frowned. "What's with all the questions today?"

Lucas shrugged, then stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"You're so weird." But Claus only grinned, throwing him a brief side-glance. "I bet you're rambling because you're hungry."

"I guess I am."

Digging into the pocket of his jacket, Claus dragged out a battered pack of trail mix. "Go nuts. Literally."

Lucas's eyes lit up at the sight of food, and without second thought, hands eagerly ripped off the plastic wrapper. Claus tapped his arm.

"And leave some for me too, you dork. I'm starving."

His younger brother flashed him a small smile, shy yet happy, and Claus rolled his eyes.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ness didn't consider himself a morning person. Rather, far from it.

But the next morning, Ness found a zombie in the school courtyard. A zombie with the name of _Claus._

Oddly enough, early rise-and-shine Claus took his grumpiness to an entirely new level. "I hate mornings," Claus grouched, stepping out of the car. Lucas was looking the other way, trying not to laugh at Claus's disgruntled expression.

"Really? So do I!" Ninten said excitedly. "Wow, Claus, we have so many similarities in common!"

"Go away, Ninten," Claus snapped. Ninten tossed an arm around his shoulders.

"Smile! A smile a day keeps the doctor away. Like this." Ninten flashed a beaming smile.

"Your _smile_ makes me want to puke."

"Your _face_ makes me want to puke."

"That wasn't even a creative comeback."

Ninten's face fell with a grimace. "Ewwww...you reminded me of our Creative Writing assignment due today. I didn't know what to write for that essay topic, so I half-assed it last night. Ness finished his before he left though."

"What? The '_Write about something or someone who has influenced you'_ essay?" Ness asked in disbelief. "It wasn't that bad. I expected something a lot worse."

Claus shook his head. "For once, I have to side with Ninten. This prompt was a real pain."

"THANK YOU."

He swatted Ninten's arm. "That doesn't mean I agree with everything you say, _nincompoop."_

"Jerk."

Claus rolled his eyes before challenging Ness with a look of his own. "If you didn't think that the assignment was _that bad_, then what did you write about?"

"My dad," Ness said defensively as if expecting them to poke fun at him. In an unspoken consensus, the other three didn't question it. Ness rarely brought the divorce up, but they knew how crushed he was over his mother's strained relationship with his father. "I mean, he's not there anymore, but...he-"

"I think that's a good topic," Lucas interrupted smoothly, and at his words, Ness relaxed. The tension passed.

Ness exhaled a shaky breath. "Thanks, Lucas. What did you write about?"

Curiously enough, Lucas turned away. His cheeks burned a faint shade of pink. "I'd rather not say."

Surprised by his sudden reluctance, Claus raised an eyebrow. "That's right. You wouldn't let me read your essay. Is it about something we know?"

"Or _someone._ It's a person, right? I bet it's on someone embarrassing," Ninten laughed, slapping Lucas on the back. "Hey, it honestly can't be as bad as you make it. Just tell us who it's on!"

"It's just an essay," Lucas mumbled, cheeks aflame. "Don't worry about it."

Ninten winked at Claus. "Ten bucks it's about a girl."

Claus smirked back. "Make that twenty." He swiped at the paper in Lucas's hands. "Hand it over!"

"No!"

"Lemme see-"

"Stop it, C-Claus!" Lucas stammered, clutching the paper to his chest. His palms began to grow sweaty. "It's not about a girl!"

Claus only laughed. "Whatever you say."

Lucas looked upset, so Ness quickly cut to the chase before Claus could play grabby-grabby with his essay again. "It's a shame that _you_ can't say the same, Ninten."

"Huh?" Ninten stopped laughing. "What do you mean?"

Ness spared him a wide grin. "Your essay's on Ana, right?"

Almost doubling over, Ninten did a spit-take, now finding the tables turned against him. "What makes you think that _I_ would write about a girl-"

Ness pointed at his lopsided, half-open bag. "Isn't that your paper?"

Upon catching sight of the unzipped pocket, Ninten rapidly turned a delicious shade of crimson. He stuffed the report out of view, then zipped his satchel shut. "...no."

"_Busted!"_

"Shut up, Claus! I-I still don't know what you're all talking about!"

Luckily, the bell chose that moment to ring, and like a drowning man, Ninten seized his chance for a saving grace. Tugging blindly at the collar of his shirt, Ninten marched off in a dignified manner, trying to escape from his friends' bright laughter.

In short, it was a promising start to a pleasant day.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Is this guy for real?" Ninten whispered, trying not to laugh. "He looks like Hitler."

"With a gray mustache," Claus said dryly.

"Listen up, kids! My name is Coach Strong, your _new_ Physical Ed teacher!" the muscular teacher barked. "Unlike your old sub_,_ I take Physical education VERY SERIOUSLY."

Ninten pointed in amusement. "Look, he's wearing sunglasses indoors. Vintage too."

Claus squinted. "How can you tell?"

"Trust me. I just can."

It was clear that neither of them had any love for their new "teacher."

A shrill beep of the whistle startled the two into silence. Coach Strong was glaring down at them, a blotchy beet-purple in the face.

"HEY, YOU KNUCKLEHEADS IN THE BACK!" he bellowed, jabbing a finger at them. "PAY ATTENTION, OR I'LL MAKE YOU RUN TWENTY LAPS AROUND THE TRACK! IT'S A HUGE CRIME NOT TO LISTEN WHEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE TALKING!"

Caught red-handed in the act, both boys flushed in embarrassment. A round of amused titters washed over the entire class.

Coach Strong grunted, placing his hands on the hem of his gym shorts. "Next week, we will study the rules of volleyball." He swept an arm across the windows of the gym. "This week is FREE STYLE. We have basketball and tennis courts behind the school, so you knuckleheads better stay outside until dismissal!"

The entire class groaned and complained, but the coach ignored them, giving each student the _stinkeye._ "And don't think I don't know about you _stragglers_ who sit your lazy buttocks on the bleachers texting twenty-four seven. I've had cases where some desperate truants try to end school early by climbing over the school fence. My advice? DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" he suddenly roared, making them all jump. "The fence is OFF-LIMITS!"

All of them shriveled under his fierce glare.

"HAH, I THOUGHT SO! Teenage punks. Don't think you can pass by slacking off in _my_ class. Now, chop chop. EVERYBODY OUTSIDE!"

At his words, alarmed students scattered like fleeing marbles. Looking disgruntled, the coach stowed his whistle into his pocket and marched away. "Teenage punks...too unpredictable these days...would try anything they get their stupid minds on...," he grumbled, wiping his brow. "Society needs to keep a vigilant eye on them. At times like this, kids these days should be playing _Nintendo_ games-"

"Hey, everyone!" Ness called out across the field, cupping his hands. "Who's up for a game of baseball?"

Like a dog trained for the word, _baseball_, Ninten perked up. "I call first bat!"

"I call no bat."

Ninten snorted, shoving Claus in the shoulder. "Lazy, lazy. You want a zero in participation?"

"What, that douche isn't even _watching_ us-"

"Don't you see him glaring at us from the blinds?"

Ness watched the pair of eyes glowering at them from the office window. "Okay, that's kind of creepy. I can't believe that he used to be the old police chief."

"Tell me about it," Claus sighed, giving in. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to do something productive..."

Ninten beamed at him. "I knew you'd pull through. Claaaaaus-"

"You need to stop that habit of butchering my name," Claus grumbled back. Ninten stuck his tongue out, then turned to the side.

"Lucas, please say you're coming too," Ninten begged. "If you go, then Claus might actually put in _some_ effort-"

To their surprise, Lucas shook his head. "I feel a little worn out," he admitted, stifling a yawn. "No thanks, Ninten. Maybe next time."

"Are you sure you're fine?" Claus interrupted with a hint of concern. Upon closer glance, his brother did seem a shade paler than usual. Come to think of it, a light sheen of sweat covered Lucas's brow, and Claus didn't recall him doing any sort of physical activity at all...

But Lucas nodded at him with a grin. "Yeah, I'll be fine! I'm just going to take a quick rest before heading off to the basketball court. Go play, Claus," he encouraged, sitting down underneath the oak tree. "Ninten's waiting."

Claus hesitated, shuffling backwards. "Well, if you say so..."

"Come on, Claus!" Ninten crowed, dragging him away. "You heard what Lucas said!"

Locking eyes with his younger twin a final time, Claus reluctantly let Ninten drag him off to the baseball field. Lucas threw him a final reassuring glance as he left, watching in amusement as Claus and Ninten began to bicker again.

("Why are you never that nice to me?"

"Lucas is my twin. You, on the other hand, are an obnoxious idiot."

"AM NOT!"

"Then stop whining in my ear, idiot!"

"Doodoo brain!")

Listening to the sound of wind whistling in his ears, Lucas closed his eyes. He deeply inhaled the cool afternoon air; the gust didn't carry the same freshness of Tazmily's hills, but a hint of the same invigorating sensation was there. At ease, he watched a blue butterfly tilt its ornate wings, flashing them proudly in the tall grass. The sight both refreshed and relaxed him, sending a soothing wave of calm into his mind.

A strange sensation overcame him.

Lucas snapped his eyes open.

There was no denying it; he had definitely caught a fever.

But something about this fever felt different. He couldn't explain how, or why, but whatever it was, he began to feel terribly hot inside, sweating as if someone had stuck a melting furnace into his heart. Absentmindedly, he brought a hand to test his forehead; it was burning profusely. He had been feeling odd ever since the trail mix; perhaps he had gotten food poisoning.

Black spots popped into his vision, burning and blending colors, and Lucas stumbled, almost toppling over in his haste.

Chills ran down his back.

He had to hydrate himself.

Pushing himself off the bark with effort, Lucas shuffled away on unsteady feet. Slowing to a crawl, Lucas blindly felt his way to the nearest water fountain, trying not to panic.

He had just dragged himself into the empty boy's locker room when a pair of voices made him halt in his tracks.

"-works at Club Titiboo. She's an orphan, a stick that nobody loves. I hear that she fights with her adopted parents every day."

Opening his eyes, Lucas blinked, swaying as blobs of color danced across vision. In his disorientation, he tripped, accidentally kicking a stray soda can. With a loud clatter, the can skittered across the tiled floor.

The whispers stopped.

Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Lucas tried to ignore the unsettling notion of being watched. The ominous silence lifted the hairs on his arms. Somehow, he got the feeling that both speakers were _very angry._ Hoping that he hadn't interrupted anything important, he groped around, patting down the lockers for guidance. "Water...," he muttered, turning to his left. Raking his hands over the surfaces of the wall, his hands successfully snagged the water fountain. He dragged himself over to quench his thirst, and to his relief, hearing and vision flickered back, easing into focus.

With a curt noise, a soft pair of shoes made their silent retreat. Another pair of sneakers, however, squeaked louder, coming his way.

A large shadow dropped over him. "Here, let me help you with that."

Startled, Lucas jerked away from the water fountain.

Pokey loomed over him, blocking out the sunlight streaming through the windows.

Lucas eyed him cautiously, tensing for the slightest hint of malice. "What do you want, Pokey?"

"I just wanted to drink some water. It's what everyone does on a hot day, you know." Pokey bent over, carefully drinking from the fountain. He soon finished, wiping his wet mouth with a sleeve. "You looked pretty dehydrated there...Lucas! You were walking in like you were all blind _and_ deaf!"

Lucas didn't like look on his face. He chose his words carefully. "I suppose so."

Pokey cleared his throat. "Do you feel better now? Because I know how to make you feel _better."_

Not knowing how to respond, Lucas silently dropped his eyes to the floor.

At his lack of reaction, Pokey's face soured. "You think you're the only one getting sick of this? Well, I'm getting pretty sick of this game too. Bullying you, I mean. Let's play a new game."

"A...new game?"

"Yeah!" Pokey flitted his eyes around. "So...I guess...do you want to play dodgeball or something? Outside." Pokey slammed a fist into his hand. "Outside! Sports are always fun to play outside!"

Heat suddenly seared his mind, and Lucas grimaced, shaking his head to clear the painful buzzing in his ears. He was starting to feel weak and feverish; the persisting symptoms worried him considerably.

Misinterpreting the gesture, Pokey fell deathly quiet. "...No?"

Lucas paled. "D-Dodgeball sounds good."

Pokey grinned; the light caught his teeth in a fluorescent yellow gleam. "Are you sure? Because we could return to our _old game-_"

Lucas shook his head with a vigor that he did not feel.

Pokey's face brightened, further weakening Lucas's resolve. The bigger boy guffawed, then clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I thought so! I'm always right. Now, you go grab the dodge ball, and I'll be waiting outside. See you later, _Lucas."_

Dread sinking in the pit of his stomach, Lucas slumped over in defeat, then trudged over to the plastic ball crates.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"HOME RUN!"

"Heck no! Claus tagged you out at home!"

"No, he didn't!" Ness pinched his fingers. "You two were _this_ close when my toe touched the base!"

Rising in indignation, Ninten puffed up his cheeks. "Cheater! We caught the ball _before_ you swiped home! Tell him, Claus!"

"Whatever."

"Claus. This is matter of DIGNITY OR DEATH."

Said ginger smirked, tossing and catching the ball into his mitt. "Ness is safe."

Everybody on Ness's team broke into noisy cheers. They drummed their feet into the dirt, yelling and hooting it up in glee.

Ninten was not amused.

"You had one job. ONE." Ninten hissed, glaring daggers at his friend. "And you failed _m__iserably."_

Stifling another smirk, Claus shrugged. "It's only one inning."

"Only one inning?" Ninten emphasized, waving his arms. "_ONLY_ ONE INNING?!"

"Hey, it's okay," Ness said, returning to the pitch; his windswept face was flushed from excitement. "That's only one home run and...what's that sound?"

All three boys turned around. With a shrill wail, a vehicle screeched, parking itself onto the side of the school. Students rushed over in large droves, panicking over something nobody on field could see. Several classmates dropped whatever was in their hands, then curiously flocked over to the scene of panic.

Ninten squinted. "Huh. An ambulance. Do you think it's another fire drill?"

"I see paramedics stepping out." Ness frowned, peering into the distance. "It can't be a drill."

"Did someone catch heat stroke?"

"At this wind chill? I doubt it."

"Heart attack?"

A crowd of students had gathered around the fence. Annoyed paramedics warded any curious teens away with sharp voices of rebuke, cutting them off from the side of the road.

Claus froze. Cold dread crept up his spine.

"Asthma attack sounds more likely," Ness continued, oblivious to his friend's growing trepidation. "Hey, Claus, what do you-"

In a sudden jolt of movement, the Claus sprinted away.

Ignoring their alarmed cries, Claus dove headfirst into the chaotic crowd. Without hesitation, the other two followed suit. Ninten coughed, wading desperately through the babbling mass of panicked students. Snatches of hushed conversations flew around their ears.

"I can't believe this happened during class-"

"This is awful! No, this is _terrible_-"

"Do you see him?"

"Is he okay?"

A strange terror crept into Claus's normally indifferent voice. There was still no sign of a familiar smiling face, nor any sign of a characteristic blond cowlick. Claus scanned the faces of the crowd, frantically trying to search for his brother.

Ness and Ninten pulled up next to him, panting heavily.

"Claus, I'm sure he's fine," Ninten reassured anxiously, but Claus continued to shove his way through the crowd.

Their search was quickly cut short by a familiar face.

"Claus!" Fuel cried, eyes shining in dawning horror. "Holy crap! What are _you_ doing here?!"

"What do you mean, _What am I doing here_? I'm in your class, dimwit!" Claus snapped. Craning his neck, Claus tried to sidestep him, but to his immense annoyance, Fuel blocked his path with wide arms.

"You should turn back."

"Fuel. WHAT THE HELL."

"Wait in the nurse's office. I'll tell you everything later," Fuel rushed, stealing a glance at the road behind him. His face paled. "I don't think you should...H-He's...-"

Ignoring him, Claus shoved the stuttering boy aside.

The first color he saw was red. Sticky blood splattered the road, staining rough gray concrete into a grotesque painting. Nearby, jagged glass from a dented car windshield gleamed like serrated teeth.

Then Claus's eyes dropped to the prone figure on the ground.

And froze.

Ninten fought his way to his side. "What's up with Fuel? I mean, from the way he was talking, it sounded like someone was-" A sharp intake of breath quickly cut his words off. Ninten had finally seen what everyone else had been looking at. "...Oh."

Claus couldn't move.

This was a dream. No, this _had _to be a dream, because there was no way that Lucas was...

That Lucas was...

_Tears coated Hinawa's half-open eyes like snowflakes, her last words weighing heavily on her lips._

Blood trickled down Lucas's face, his clear blue eyes blank and unknowing.

"No. Lucas. _LUCAS!"_ With a shriek, Claus lunged forward, shakily stumbling to his side. Dropping to his knees, Claus shook his brother's shoulders; Lucas's head lolled lifelessly in response. "Th-This isn't funny, Lucas! Get up, p-p-please-"

A heavy pair of boots crunched into the concrete behind him. "Young man, step back." The medic's gruff voice cut into his ears. When Claus refused to cooperate, staring at his brother's blood in his hands, the paramedic rudely shoving the teen aside and barked off several commands in rapid succession. "Take him away on the gurney! We have substantial loss of blood, stabilize his breathing-"

As the crew carried the limp body away on a stretcher, Claus snapped out of his reverie. Leaping his his feet, Claus scrambled forward with outstretched arms.

The medic cut into his path. "Young man-"

"NO!" Claus bellowed, trying to duck under the medic's arms.

Something caught his wrist. "Claus, keep it together," Ness muttered, holding back the struggling twin in an iron grip. Lost for words, Ninten stood still, gaping at the scene in shock.

"NO! You don't understand! They're taking him away! He can't...he doesn't like to be left alone! LET ME GO! _LUCAS!"_ Claus began kicking, screaming at the top of his lungs as if his unconscious twin could hear his tortured cries. With a renewed burst of adrenaline, Claus redoubled his flailing, lashing out with his shoes and elbows. He wrenched his way out, but Ness's reapplied grip on his arm was too steady, too firm.

The ambulance wailed away from the scene.

Shoulders sagging, Claus watched it leave. His arms finally fell limp at his sides.

"Lucas..."

_This can't be happening to me._

His dizzy vision spun to black.

* * *

**Author's note:**** Thank you for the reviews. :) My second chapter is posted a lot earlier than expected because the next chapter might take a while. Criticism is appreciated. I know I'm probably painting Pokey as the evil stereotypical villain, but all will be explained due time.**

**I do not own the Earthbound series or SSBB.**


	3. Somewhere, Someday

**"All teachers will monitor all students at all times. Teachers are accountable for their students during class. Students will not be allowed out of class without a hall pass. Following the rules is essential for preventing avoidable tragedy..."**

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

By the next morning, everyone knew of the car accident.

Claus's absence in school didn't go unnoticed. When teachers scrolled down to his name for roll call, their expressions shifted to a look of immense pity. According to the grapevine, the school nurse, a kind woman named Miss Tessie, had burst into tears at the news. Even Miss Marshmallow, the stoic Creative English teacher, had reacted to Claus's absence. Both Ninten and Ness noticed how her lips seemed to purse into a thin line.

The staff had all responded differently to the tragedy.

Giygas remained as cold as ever. He was an intelligent man, a picky stickler for rules and regulations. This often annoyed many of the other students, but Giygas didn't seem to care. His job was to teach, and teach he did well. A misanthrope with little patience for teenagers, why Giygas had picked up teaching as an occupation was anyone's guess, and many students did their best to avoid irritating the intimidating man.

"He's got the one-track mind of a brilliant scientist," Jeff had muttered once, eyeing the teacher to the side. "You can tell. He doesn't put his heart into anything except for his own work."

In any case, Claus's absence only seemed to have increased his cutthroat tendencies.

"...and it looks like Claus is absent." Stopping by the empty desk, Giygas scribbled a note into his roll book. "That's a tardy slip in the record."

Worried, Ninten turned to Ness. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Is he here?"

In response, Ness shook his head. "Haven't seen him all day," he muttered back.

Spirits crushed, Ninten glanced at the empty desk. He wondered if Claus had gone to visit his brother in the hospital.

Finishing up roll call, Giygas snapped the attendance record shut. "One of our number is missing today," he said, sharp blue eyes roaming the silent classroom. "A student has been sent to the hospital after climbing over the school fence. Let this tragedy serve as a warning to those who continue to break the rules. I will not tolerate cheating or plagiarism of any kind. Am I clear?"

A murmur of assent rippled through the students.

With dull enthusiasm, Ninten looked out the window. It made no sense. Lucas wasn't one known for breaking the rules.

"Do you have something to share with us, Ninten?"

He glanced up.

Giygas had fixed his icy stare onto him. With a jolt of surprise, Ninten realized that he had spoken out loud. Well, crud.

He had already stuck one foot into his mouth, so Ninten decided to speak his mind. "I'd like to appeal for an excused absence," he said quietly. "Claus has a good reason for not being here."

Giygas looked terribly unimpressed. "Any absence involving family matters must be signed by a parent or guardian. I do not recall you acting as Claus's personal secretary."

Ninten stiffened at the rebuke. "There was an accident-"

"Accidents do not exempt students from education. Time passes on. What matters most is that you learn as much as you can here and lead fruitful lives." He eyed his fuming student with careless distaste. "We are behind schedule. Now, if you please, I want all of you to turn to page A-5 of your textbook..."

Catching the look in his eyes, Ness shook his head. "Ninten, don't."

"Don't tell me _don't_."

"There's no point in getting riled up. It's not going to do any good-"

Ignoring him, Ninten stood up. The class fell deathly silent.

From the first day of school, Ninten took on the role of class clown. Perhaps it was because of this reputation that the calculus teacher seemed to dislike him; in fact, Giygas utterly _despised_ him, and was happy for any reason to show it.

Unfortunately, this feeling was mutual vice-versa.

Blue eyes flashed dangerously in his direction. "Sit down, _Ninten."_

"Lucas was hit by a car. You could at least show the courtesy of respecting Claus's absence by excusing it!" Ninten snapped. "It's not like nobody in school knows what happened!"

"The accident was a terrible tragedy. Young boys of your age tend to be careless..."

"Lucas didn't plan to get run over by a drunk driver!" Cheeks burning aflame, Ninten clenched his fists against the edge of the desk. "Don't you dare insult him like that!"

A flicker of motion caught Ness's eye. Pokey was staring down at his chubby palms, looking uncharacteristically subdued. He was fiddling with his mechanical pencil in an agitated fashion; every odd second or so, he would also tap his foot, shuffling his shoes underneath his desk in a nervous fidget.

Ness didn't need to take Psychology 101 to understand the signs.

Pokey was feeling guilt.

Ness had stared for far too long. Sensing his gaze, Pokey looked up. Shooting him poisonous scowl, Pokey turned around in a halfhearted attempt to ignore him.

For some reason, that made Ness feel even more depressed.

"I will tell you again, young man. _Sit Down. _I am reaching the end of my line-"

"YOU AND YOUR IDEAS ARE PATHETIC-"

"Detention, _Ken,_ for an entire _week,"_ Giygas snapped. "Disrupt class again, and you'll be written up for expulsion."

Ninten glowered back in utter fury. As he worked his jaw several times, his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. For a wild moment, Ness was worried that Ninten was going to do more than burst into another heated rant, but the Podunk teen only gritted his teeth and dumped himself back into his own seat.

Without wasting another second, Giygas turned over to the blackboard. "Now then. Flip to the appendix. I will teach you how to derive these formulas..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus didn't go to school the next day. Nor the next.

He couldn't eat much. Claus couldn't even _look_ at an omelet without thinking of Lucas laughing in the empty chair beside him. All eyes were fixated on the broken table etched with splinters and scars. The silence in the dining room was deafening.

Nobody dared to speak a word.

Abruptly, Claus stood up. His chair clattered onto the floor. "May I be excused?"

Without waiting for his grandfather's response, Claus bolted up the stairs two at a time and locked the door shut. He dove under the bed covers, hoping for escape, and tried hard not to think about his brother lying in a hospital bed alone, miles away from home. Shivering from the unexpected cold, he twisted his blankets around him in a messy flurry of limbs, then scrunched his eyes shut.

None of this was real. Yes, none of this was real, and Lucas was sleeping in the other side of the room. Claus just couldn't see him, that was all.

Sleeping was torture. Claus rarely fell asleep these days, and whatever meager slumber he scrounged led to nightmares. Many times, they were cruel re-enactments, dreadful flashbacks of his mother's death. And in every single one, he would wake up screaming for her to run before the drunk driver crunched her tiny frame into bloody splinters.

Tonight, it was Lucas. Sweet, shy Lucas who would always manage to slip right out of his reach, dancing tantalizingly close, but always too far before vanishing into thin air.

"Goodbye, Claus," his brother whispered before taking a deliberate step onto the cool pavement.

"NO!" Claus stretched out his shaky fingers, but the headlights always blinded him, speeding wheels crunched rough gravel into his face, then the awful shriek of a horn screamed in his ears-

Blood splattered the ground.

Claus awoke with a strangled gasp. "Lucas?"

No one was there.

He was alone.

Cold sweat poured down his face, and Claus doubled over, feeling sour bile claw up his throat in nauseating waves because _oh god, he hadn't been dreaming and Lucas had really been hit by a drunk driver-_

Tearing the tangled covers from his legs, Claus dived into bathroom and hurled the contents of his stomach into the basin of the toilet. Doubling over, he choked as slimy bile slid up his throat; the stinging taste lingered on his tongue, sharp and bitter. Gripping the sides of the basin, he slumped over, shaking with a disheveled, wild look blazing in his eyes. When the wracks of pain finally subsided, numb hands dragged himself towards the sink, gripping the cold marble with trembling fingers.

Blue eyes flickered up. Claus saw his brother's face swimming in the bathroom mirror.

Like a drowning man, Claus desperately clutched at his reflection, only for his bare hands to slam against the surface of cold, unyielding glass. His reflection was beyond his reach...

Just like his twin brother.

He screamed and punched the mirror, shattering it into a spiderweb of cracked glass. His distorted reflection glared back, and Claus punched it again, not caring if his knuckles were screaming in pain, because this pain was nothing compared to losing his other half, and it didn't matter anymore because he was drowning, drowning, _drowning_ _in despair-_

Lights flickered on. Heavy footsteps thudded against thick wood. Claus vaguely registered someone entering the bathroom, but he didn't know who it was. He couldn't care less.

The tall silhouette led his fists away from the mirror. Claus buckled from weakness, but the stranger managed to grip his shoulder and steer him back to bed. Before his head hit the pillows, Claus had already clocked out from exhaustion.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_Claus?_

_L-Lucas? Why aren't you in bed?_

_I heard you running outside...Where are you going, Claus?_

_Where am I - what're you talking about? I'm not going anywhere, Lucas. Go back to sleep._

_Then why aren't you dressed in your pajamas? __And...Is that dad's hunting knife?!_

_..._

_Claus!_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus awoke to a stabbing pain in his left fist.

_What the hell?_

He grimaced as a twinge of pain seared through his heated knuckles. His hands, neatly-bandaged to his surprise, throbbed and pulsed in agony.

Memories of last night crept back into his mind. Disorientation quickly caved into distress, and the dead feeling returned. Despite the pain, Claus ignored his injuries and pushed himself out of bed. He couldn't sit here and do nothing, not when Lucas was fighting for his life miles away. His limbs jittered in distress; Claus had to do something, anything, or it'd drive his mind up the wall-

The bedroom door creaked open.

Warm steam. The fragrance of food.

His trademark cowboy hat lopsided on his head, Flint ambled in with a piping-hot bowl of chicken soup. Catching Claus's stare, the man halted, hovering over his bedside.

After a long period of uncomfortable silence, Flint spoke. "Don't strain yourself."

The low admonition rang uncomfortably in his ears. With a jolt of realization, Claus realized that his father must have woken up to his mirror-breaking tirade last night.

Claus shrugged on his black letterman jacket. "Since when have you ever cared about what I do?"

Flint lifted a hand as if to pat his son on the shoulder. But when Claus stiffened up, he dropped it back to his side. "I've always cared for you," he said quietly.

"I don't have time for one of your pity talks, _dad._" Claus clenched his fists, ignoring his knuckles screaming in pain. "Go drink. Isn't that what you do now?"

His father's eyes flashed dangerously. "You don't understand."

"Great, because I don't want to."

"You are going nowhere, young man."

With a snort, Claus seized his shoes from the stand. "I'm off to see Lucas. You can't stop me-"

"Eat."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Claus snapped. Instantly, he regretted the outburst; a crushing weariness sank into his bones after the short burst of fury.

"Eat." With a stiff jerk, Flint shoved the bowl of soup in his hands. "I can't bear to lose two of you."

For a split second, Claus caught his father's eyes under his hat. Dark pupils, roiling with an unseen emotion, brimmed with volumes of unspoken words. Then his father coughed, interrupted their eye-contact, then sauntered away.

The smooth porcelain bowl felt warm in his frigid fingers.

Unsure of what to do, Claus stared down at the creamy soup. Hands shifted, sorely tempted to abandon the bowl on the bedside cabinet, but some unseen force seemed to prevent him from doing so. After what seemed like an eternity of unbroken silence, Claus curled his fingers around the hot spoon and dragged a steaming mouthful to his lips. He swallowed the soup down with difficulty.

Salty, yet strangely bittersweet.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"We're collecting lunch money! If you're buying food today, please take out your order!"

A rising murmur of voices and noisy jingle of coins greeted Tony's announcement. As if on cue, the sound of twenty bags zipping hit their ears as students rummaged for their two-fifties. Aside from paying for cafeteria food, the school gave students an option to order lunch from a nearby Italian diner. In each homeroom, the "Chosen Two" would go around collecting money in plastic bins, then carry these purchases to the main office.

"Heya, Ninten!" Tony said, enthusiastically pointing at their names on the blackboard. "Looks like we're on lunch duty today!"

"Oh." Startled, said boy took in the plastic bin for a full minute before latching onto it with both hands. "I guess you're right."

To be frank, lunch duty was more a trifle than anything. As they conducted their daily rounds around the classroom, the volume of babble grew by a considerable amount; everyone else was clever enough to spot an opportunity when they saw one, and eagerly stole this chance to talk with their friends without getting into trouble.

Lucky souls.

"Oi, Fuel! Whatchu getting today?"

"Ugh noooo, I forgot my lunch money _again-"_

"If you ask me, this place sounds pretty sketch," Kumatora said, doubtfully eyeing the paper menu. "Is the beef lasagna any good?"

"I'd say it's _meh_. Go with the Pumpkin Ravioli,_"_ Tony answered, cheerfully poking the order form. "Or you could try the Oregano spaghetti. It's probably better for carb loading."

"Hmm...nah, I hate Oregano."

As beady-eyed as ever, Miss Marshmallow's deadpan voice cut through their conversation. "Tony, no hats in the classroom."

"Sorry, Miss Marshmallow!"

Still half-awake, Ninten absentmindedly stopped by every desk, mechanically moving forward at the clink of change hitting plastic. He successfully walked down one row, sighed, then turned around to conquer the next.

What he saw nearly stopped his breath.

Or rather, _whom._

Claus was back.

Snapping to attention, Ninten swiveled his head, now wide-alert, and waded through the chaotic jumble of chairs, a question burning on his lips. But his question died quickly as it had come: Claus stayed absolutely still the entire time - his back slumped over his desk; his head resting on his arms.

That, if anything, confirmed Ninten's worst suspicions.

As soon as Ninten set foot behind his desk, opening his mouth to speak, Claus's curt response cut him to the chase.

"I'm not buying anything."

"Are you sure?"

Claus raised his head by a fraction, skewering him with bloodshot eyes. "Since when have I ever _paid _for lunch?"

With a frown, Ninten closed his mouth. That was true. The twins qualified for the school's reduced income policy; they had either endured free Cafeteria food, or even rarely, brought left-overs from home.

"Did you eat this morning?" Ninten asked, quietly noting his bandaged fists.

"..."

Just as he had thought.

"Claus..."

"Leave me alone."

This time, Ninten complied. He didn't have the heart to respond to those depressing words.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"...and I expect a full analysis of the _Monkey's Paw_ next Tuesday. Late work will not be accepted." Miss Marshmallow sharply rapped the podium, and the entire class fell into a silent hush. "I've also graded your first assignment and your Bellringers. Please pick them up at the front desk. You are dismissed."

With a rustle of paper, students filed out of line, heading to their next classes with their graded essays in hand.

"Claus."

Startled, he raised his head. Miss Marshmallow watched him, pursing her lips into a thin line. With a final glance, Ninten and Ness reluctantly followed suit, leaving the Creative Writing teacher alone with the red-head.

"Meet me after class."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It was his eighth visit to the hospital.

Claus checked up on him whenever he had the time, hoping that his unresponsive brother would finally wake. Akin to his other trips, Claus always carried along a yellow sunflower.

This time, however, he wasn't alone. Ness and Ninten had tagged along to give their well-wishes as well. After a brief talk with the nurse, the three of them hitched their heavy school bags onto their backs, and set off to the appropriate room.

Ninten had a sour look on his face.

"What's up with _you?"_ Claus muttered from the corner of his mouth.

In response, Ninten mumbled something incoherent under his breath, then crossed his arms.

Catching Claus's gaze, Ness shook his head. _I'll tell you_ later, his violet eyes seemed to say.

With that thought, they walked down pristine, sickly-white corridor and opened the farthest room on the right.

_Beep...Beep...Beep..._

Lucas's eyes were closed. A skinny, frail arm hung limply from the side of the bed. Soft puffs of air seemed to escape from his lips as his chest rose and fell in quiet steadiness. White, sterile bandages tightly wrapped around his torso, and ugly IV lines were taped to the arteries in his arms. They could only guess what other grave injuries lurked underneath the dull, faded hospital gown.

But Claus already knew. He had memorized the doctor's final verdict.

Broken 3rd and 4th ribs. Fractured femurs. Ripped Quadriceps. Minor brain trauma. On and on the gruesome list had continued. The only part of his body that had remained unblemished was his face. It seemed like a blessing that the accident had spared scarring his features from recognition, but to Claus, it was only a cruel reminder of his painful past.

At a loss for words, Ness slumped into a chair and stared, watching Lucas breathe with blank eyes.

Claus dunked the fresh sunflower into the vase on the bedside cabinet. This sunflower looked radiant compared to the seven others he'd brought, each one looking slightly more desiccated than the next.

"Hey, Lucas. Look what I brought you today. Another sunflower." A hysterical laugh threatened to claw its way out of his throat, but Claus swallowed it down. His voice broke. "I'm sorry. I can't think of anything better to get you, and you're probably sick of them by now..."

Closing his mouth, Claus buried his head into his hands, leaving his sentence unfinished. Never one to waste time, Lucas strove to be productive. He was always doing something when Claus spotted him - listening intently to the radio, playing fetch with Boney, climbing the apple tree by the forest in the backyard. Often times, Lucas pushed himself too hard, so Claus had to urge him to take a break and relax.

But not like this.

Not like _this._

He clenched his sore fists. "Why the hell do they keep rolling over innocent people?!" Claus said through gritted teeth. His pale blue eyes seemed to gleam with an icy anger. "Are the police even trying to catch these drunken sickos?"

"They caught the man yesterday," Ninten said feebly. "He's awaiting a two-year sentence in prison-"

"Some good that does," Claus said. Bitterness seeped into his words. "That won't bring Lucas back..."

Ninten fell silent. He exchanged a quiet glance with Ness. Neither of them seemed to know what to say.

"What has he done to deserve this?" Claus suddenly bolted to his feet. He swept an arm through the air, knocking over the sunflower vase. The fragile porcelain shattered with a discordant, ear-splitting crash. "HOW IS THIS _FAIR?!_"

Ness raked his eyes over Lucas's prone form. "Lucas wouldn't have wanted you to think like that-"

"Don't tell me what you think Lucas wants me to think, _Ness._ That's what everyone said about my mom when she died from a fucking car accident, and do you see her coming back from the dead? _HUH?!"_

"Lucas isn't dead," Ness mumbled.

_Yet._ That unspoken word whispered into their ears. It was so tangible that Claus could almost hear it.

Ness sank back into his chair, seemingly drained of all strength. "How did it happen?"

Ninten spared a nervous glance in Claus's direction, but the elder twin gave no sign that he had heard. "I honestly don't know. I don't think anyone knows..."

Claus fell silent. "Lucas told me that he wasn't feeling good," he mumbled, pained eyes peering between the gaps of his fingers. "I could've stayed behind. I could've checked on him, or brought him to the nurse, but I _didn't._ I abandoned him for a stupid baseball game-"

"It wasn't stupid-"

"It _was _stupid. I could've stopped this...I could've _saved_ him."

Ninten shifted uncomfortably. "It wasn't your fault, Claus. There was nothing we could've done."

"I don't understand how he ended up on the road," Ness said, his eyes resting on Lucas's limp form. "He would've had to climb over the fence."

Claus slammed his hands onto the cabinet. "Are you fucking serious?" he snapped, his features twisting into a dark, thunderous scowl. "Lucas wouldn't have walked into a semi _on purpose_!"

"Hold on, Claus. Ness has a point. Maybe..." Ninten paced across the room, tapping his fingers against his arms. "There's something missing from the picture. Something we don't know. What if...this car accident wasn't really an accident?"

Claus looked like he was at the end of his patience. "What the hell are you talking about, Ninten?"

"I mean, what if this was all planned?"

"Why would someone want Lucas _dead?!"_

"It could be a part of something bigger. Something that we don't know."

Claus paused. "Is that possible?" he whispered.

Ninten counted off with his fingers. "Here's how I see it. Option A: Lucas broke the rules for the sheer heck of it."

"No," Claus said immediately.

"Option B: Lucas saw something he wasn't supposed to see, and someone wanted him out of the picture. Lucas was successfully lured out of campus grounds, then _BAM__!_ Instant KO."

His two friends sat still.

"...Damn, Ninten."

Claus's skin crawled. "You can't be serious."

"I'm deadly serious, Claus."

"This isn't like your little _Mary Jane_ detective series. Stick your head out of the clouds, for once." Claus snarled. "Besides, Option B has more holes in it than Swiss Cheese. If you're going to pin this down on a "murder attempt," then what are the motives? Where does the drunk driver fit in? And how the hell would you even _lure over_ an unsuspecting teen? With _candy?!"_

"I don't know!" Ninten snapped, throwing his arms into the air. "Do I _look_ like a killer to you?! I'm only thirteen!"

Claus gripped his hair. "There has to be _another_ explanation..."

"Either way, Lucas climbed the fence on his own accord," Ness said.

"Yeah. So?" Claus's breath hitched in his throat. "What are you trying to say?"

Ness opened his mouth, then hesitated, closing it again.

But Claus froze; the horrified implication of Ness's words had sunken in. "Lucas is NOT suicidal!" he screeched.

Ness's eyes widened. "Claus, I never said-"

"Shut up, Ness! SHUT UP! _You_ don't know Lucas like _I_ do!" A storm of grief blinded Claus, and without thinking, he jumped to his feet. Hot rage bubbled up, engulfing in senses in a roar of emotions. Overwhelmed with fury, Claus shook, blue eyes bloodshot as he jabbed an accusing finger in Ness's direction. "What if this was _your sister_ we were talking about? Huh? What if _Tracy_ was lying there on the hospital bed all bloody like she's dead to the world, and we're just here, sitting around and talking about who tried to murder her-"

_"STOP!"_ Ness's eyes were blazing with wild fury. Claus had unknowingly pushed him over an unspoken edge. "Don't drag my sister into this. I never said that Lucas was suicidal!"

"_You don't say!_"

"Something just doesn't seem right!"

Claus tapped his head in a mocking manner. "Oh gee, Lucas was hit by a semi. I wonder what _doesn't_ sound right about that? Hmm, let me think. How about..._EVERYTHING?!"_

Ness's eyebrows deepened into a dark furrow. "You know that I didn't mean it like that."

"Really, guys?" Ninten looked exasperated, whipping back and forth between Ness's pointed glare and Claus's bared teeth. "Are you seriously going to start arguing _here?!"_

Both of his friends ignored him.

Ninten raised his voice. "OI!" he snapped, interrupting their intense stare-down. "Do you think Lucas would be happy to see you two duking it out over his hospital bed?!"

It was as if he had cast a magic spell.

As if stung, Ness scooted back, looking immensely guilty. Claus flinched, a startled expression flashing across his face before shifting into a contorted look of wild frustration. Without a parting word, Claus spun on his heel and stormed out of the room.

As soon as the lanky shadow disappeared from sight, Ness slumped over in his chair. "So much for having a nice day," he said, bitterly resting his eyes on Lucas's unresponsive form.

Ninten's gaze flickered to his in undisguised worry. "Do you think he'll ever wake...?"

Neither of them had an answer.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**My exams start next week and should last at least two weeks. I finished up this chapter to pass the time. Thank you for your support! :) Your reviews, favs, and follows are much appreciated!**

**I do not own the Mother/Earthbound series**


	4. And Then There Were None

_Becoming a superhero is a young boy's dream come true._

_ Superheroes bring hope in times of despair. They fight freely against crime, and serve under no other name but that of justice. In short, they feared nothing, and achieved what others could not do._

_With the passing of my mother came a time when I finally dropped that idealistic interest. The old "superhero" days seem to most like a mere memory, a short fad discarded and tossed away, but to me, they meant something more._

_In times of hardship, I was never truly alone. There had been always someone else who had helped me take that leap of courage. _A true hero __is not fearless, but perfect because he is imperfect.__

_My brother is that hero. __My brother is that hero I can never become._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_..._

_Claus is my hero._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"What do you mean you can't play on Friday?"

"I have detention, remember?" Ninten said, moodily kicking a stone. "Stupid Giygas."

Ness ran a hand through his own messy black hair. It didn't take much to realize that the baseball captain was clearly agitated. "But you're one of the best batters out on the field! I hate to say this, but all of the new recruits weren't up to par! We need every player and veteran accountable for this season." Desperate, Ness glanced at him. "Can't you get a parent's note or something to excuse you from detention?"

Ninten gave a contemptuous snort. "Fat chance. My parents think I deserved it. And no-" he cut in as Ness opened his mouth again. "I'm not going to ask Giygas. He'll probably use baseball to blackmail me."

"Then what am I supposed to do?!"

"Choose one of the substitute players," Ninten suggested.

With a sigh, Ness flicked the fringe of hair out of his eyes. "Don't let Giygas get under your skin."

"Easy for you to say!" Ninten cried. "I swear, he picks on _everything_ I do. Dress code, attitude, posture..._Sit up, Ninten. Your shirt isn't tucked in, Ninten. Answer my question, Ninten._ It's like he loves picking on me!"

"I'm know. But after Claus dropped the team yesterday, I can't afford to lose any of our top players."

"CLAUS DROPPED THE TEAM?!"

"Yeah."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was."

"...We need to get him back."

"No shit." Ness rubbed his eyes tiredly with one hand. "But it's like a part of him died since he's returned to school. He hasn't spoken a single word to me after that last hospital visit."

Ninten winced. Claus had never been an approachable person to begin with, and everyone knew better than to test his patience. Nowadays, Claus would bristle up with a blood-curdling glare that promised certain death to the unfortunate soul who dared to disturb him. He didn't just simply _ooze _hostility; he was hostility itself.

Claus was suffering.

"He needs this, Ness," Ninten urged. He spared the courtyard a nervous glance for any sign of a demonic red-head, and finding none, returned to whispering. "I'm afraid that Claus might do something stupid. You know how reckless he gets when his feelings go out of whack."

"He won't listen to me," Ness said dully. "If you talk, then he might."

"Me? Talk to _him?"_ Ninten laughed without mirth. Ness was a natural-born leader whose rationality and quick-thinking made him a naturally well-liked person everyone looked up to. If Ness couldn't get to Claus, then Ninten highly doubted that he himself could. "Ness, are we even talking about the same person? We're talking about _Claus_."

"Yeah."

"_Claus_. Ginger hair. Kind of tall. Has an _extremely_ frightening temper."

Ness snorted. "That's him, all right."

"Ness, are you blind?" Ninten snapped, waving his arms. "Claus and I argue all the freakin' time! How the hell am I supposed to make him listen if you can't shove reason up his ass?"

"Trust me. You get along with him better than I do."

He had a point there. Ninten grimaced, remembering how easily Claus had exploded at Ness at the hospital. For the hundredth time, Ninten fervently wished that Lucas was here to set things straight.

But Lucas _wasn't_ here, and that fact wasn't going to change for a long time. Maybe even never.

Ninten caved in. "Fine. I'll talk to him." Worry was sank into his gut. "I might as well try."

"_Trying_ sounds good."

"Look who's talking, you hypocrite!"

Ness cracked an amused smile. "Hypocrite, am I?"

"It's not a compliment," Ninten grunted, throwing him a positively scathing look. "Just you wait. You'll be eating your words."

To Ninten's own surprise, his friend only laughed, waving him off. "I know I will. Go get 'em, tiger."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Mission "Talk to Claus" went badly from the start.

Ninten managed to catch Claus wrenching open his locker. So far, so good.

Violently snatching out textbooks and stuffing them into his bag, Claus radiated an undertone of simmering distress. Under close inspection, Claus looked worse for wear. Gruesome purple-green bags sagged under sunken eyes. Flaming locks were strewn in a messy heap atop his head. The skin on his face was a sallow yellow; his limbs looked thinner than usual. No, seriously, if Ninten thought that Claus looked lanky before, he positively looked quite twiggy now.

Ninten swallowed hard. Once he stepped forward, he would be entering the beast's den - an angry, fire-breathing beast with razor-sharp claws and nightmarish wings at that. One false step, and oh sweet Dalaamese spirits, he'd be signing his death warrant faster than you could say 'asthma.'

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea._

But as terrifying Claus as looked, he was his best friend. Ninten didn't have the heart to watch him suffer.

_It was either now or never._

Ninten sidled next to him and coughed.

Claus didn't react.

Ninten coughed louder.

No response.

Ninten hacked his lungs out.

"Do you need an inhaler, Ninten?" Claus said, sullen eyes glued to his locker.

"No..."

"Then cut it out. I don't want your germs over my stuff."

"...Claus?" Ninten started off warily.

"What?" Said ginger finally turned around, stabbing him with piercing blue eyes. Claus was obviously in a foul mood. "I have to get to class. Make it quick."

Ninten gulped. He took a deep breath, then spewed his words out. "I think we should - ack no - I meant _you_ should...um...rejoin the baseball team!"

Claus stared at him as if Ninten had suggested that they go skinny-dipping in molten lava. "Excuse me?"

Ninten dropped the cheerful facade. He lowered his voice. "Look, I heard you quit the baseball team. Ness is pretty upset. Actually, scratch that - we're both bummed."

Claus shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "No need to feel bummed. Ness can find someone better to fill my spot."

"But you like baseball!"

"I don't feel like playing anymore."

"Dude, are you _trying_ to worry us?! You can't keep going like this, Claus!" Ninten slammed a foot in his way. "Don't deny it! Claus, we know that you're worried about Lucas-"

"Ninten-"

"And we know that you're really upset-"

"_Ninten._" Claus's eyes were sparking with anger, but Ninten forced himself to plow through.

"But turning yourself into a wreck isn't going to help anyone!"

"Turning myself into a wreck? TURNING MYSELF INTO A WRECK?!" The ugly beast had reared its head, the snarling monster awakening in the shape of Claus. Ninten involuntarily took a step back as the beast roared and unleashed its incredible fury. Other students stopped to watch with fearful eyes.

"Why don't _you_ try not turning yourself into a wreck after _your sibling_ gets plowed down by a goddamn truck!" Claus roughly shoved him into the ground. "STAY OUT OF MY WAY, NINTEN!"

Claus stormed away, frightened students parting before him as he were a deranged murderer wielding a bloody axe. Ninten stared at his friend's retreating form before mouthing a curse.

"Well, _fuck_."

This was a lot harder than he thought.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"So...How did it go?"

"Shut up, Ness."

"Ninten-"

"You set me up on purpose!" Ninten said, indignantly balling up his fists. "Now look what you've done!"

Ness tried to keep a straight face. "I heard him bellow at you from three doors away."

Walking down the empty hallway, Ninten snorted. "_I'd_ say."

"It's okay. At least you tried."

Ninten groaned and hid his face in his hands. "Great. Now Claus hates my guts and I'm the laughingstock of the school."

"Then I guess nothing's changed."

Ninten threw him a nasty glare. "Shut up, Ness."

Ness laughed. "You've got to admit it's kind of funny-"

"No, it's not!" Ninten snapped.

Ness heaved a heavy sigh. All the mirth seemed to have drained from his features. "I know. It's not. But I was serious."

"About how I'm still laughingstock of the school?"

"No, I really thought Claus would open up to you." Ness threw him a shifty side-glance. "At least he said _something."_

"If you count _yelling my ears off and hollering bloody murder_, then yeah, Claus said _something_," Ninten said sarcastically as they stopped in front of Giygas's office. "But no thanks to you, we're back to square one. Anything else you want to tell me, _captain_?"

"Now that you mention it, I do. Have you noticed anything odd about Pokey lately?"

"Like what?"

"He seems a bit subdued-"

"Subdued?" Ninten gave a snort of derision. "Ness, please, I bet he's disappointed that he lost his punching bag-"

"I don't think so. He hasn't gone out of his way to confront us since Lucas got hit. And if you haven't noticed, he's in our Phys Ed class too."

Ninten opened his mouth, then closed it in shock. "Huh, you're right." A horrible thought seized his mind. "Hey, you don't think-"

The classroom door swung open. Irritated, Giygas stared down at them, his top lip curling in distaste. "Ninten. I believe I _explicitly_ instructed you to come straight to detention. If your Calculus grades are anything to speak of, you have plenty of time for idle talk later."

Ninten slumped over. "See you, Ness," he mumbled, stepping into the classroom.

Giygas shut the door behind them with a steely click.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Rain dripped down in torrents that afternoon.

"How was school today?"

"It was okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Ninten's in detention again."

His mother flipped the sizzling steak burger on the stove; the heavenly aroma of ground beef followed the smoky smell of street food. The rough canvas of the tent flapped gently in the wind, spraying occasional water onto the plastic, set-up tables.

Even with their father's help, Ness knew his mother worked two jobs to keep them above the poverty line. From the wee hours of the morning, she would set up a Onett Beef and Breakfast street food stand until as long as four in the afternoon; late at night, she would work on finishing up her newest novel.

"What did he do now?" she asked, tapping her spatula against the pan. "Did he get into a fight with your friends?"

"He spoke up in class."

"Ai, ai, ai." Ness's mother shook her head in disapproval, skillfully squirted sauce into the fryer, then turned around to toss a salad. "I know his parents. His father's a strict man. Wants his son to inherit the family business. Very traditional."

Ness uncomfortably lowered his head. "I think Claus hates me," he said quietly, shifting to the side.

His mother paused. "What for?"

"We kind of had a fight..." Ness winced. "Over Lucas."

An impatient customer came up, requesting his order. Ness slid off his seat, engaging the irritated man. His mother called out an encouraging reassurance in response, then neatly wrapping the fried patty with dexterous fingers, delivered the order to the customer with a quick word of apology. The thankless customer went about his way without another word.

Washing and drying her hands, his mother leaned over the counter. Without second thought, she gently ran them through her son's hair.

"You should be more careful with your tongue," she said softly. "His brother's in the hospital, is he not? Be the better man and show some patience. I'm sure that Claus didn't mean it."

Eyes still lowered, Ness nodded despondently.

With a short tut, his mother flipped over her OPEN sign. "My boy can't stay out of trouble for _two_ seconds, can he? I swear, it's your father's genes, I tell you."

Despite himself, Ness felt a warm smile grow on his lips. "He didn't have the rebellious streak."

His mother spared him a wide grin. "Now _that_ you got from me."

"And the terrible temper."

"Keep that up, and you're getting no steak for dinner, young man."

"Yes, m'am."

"Ah! I almost forgot..." His mother curled a hand into her pocket, then drew out a slip of paper. "I'm closing shop for today. Can you run along and fetch some groceries for dinner?"

Letting out a groan, Ness stretched his arms. "But I don't feeeeeel like it."

"Go run. You're starting to get a little chubby-"

"Moooom-" he whined.

She playfully massaged his shoulders, then made a loud noise of exclamation. "What's this?!"

Surprised, Ness perked his head up. "What?"

"You're getting fat!"

"It's muscle!"

"Muscle, fat, same difference. Hah!" She lightly swatted him in the back. "Go run, fatty."

With a final moan of complaint, Ness slid off his seat, peeling his arms off the plastic counter.

"And don't take long!" she called out, piling the clanking pots into her arms and walking to the van. "You'll catch a cold!"

"Okay!"

Grabbing the umbrella on his way out, Ness did as he was told, and sprinted down the sidewalk. In mere moments, the blaring sign of the convenience store flashed before his eyes. Shaking the rainwater from his umbrella, Ness stepped in, shivering as the sudden gust of AC hit his wet socks.

"Carrots," he muttered, eyeing the aisles and reaching for the needed ingredients. "Pears, Eggs-"

So engaged he was in his task that he didn't notice someone in his vicinity. Startled, Ness recoiled back from the light collision. "Oops, sorry-"

"N-Ness?"

Ness looked up; he'd recognize that frightened whisper anywhere. "Picky?"

Hidden behind a crate of onions, the younger boy quickly glanced sideways before nervously beckoning him forward. Glancing around to check that the coast was clear, Ness stepped closer with a frown of concern. "What's up?"

"I'm here for chores too," he whispered, pointing at the apples in terror. "How can you tell which ones are ripe?"

The older teen grinned in amusement. "I don't. My mom usually scolds me afterwards."

Picky's face fell. "Oh. Well, it's okay." He hung his head. "Mom wants me to cook again," he muttered, looking utterly defeated. "I was hoping that if I make her something good, then she won't be...get mad."

Ness's expression involuntarily tightened. _That fucking bitch. _"You can come over to my place for dinner. My mom wouldn't mind."

But Picky quickly shook his head. "N-No! Thanks for the offer, but she's really hungry. I can't keep her waiting, you know...?"

With a sigh, Ness lowered a tomato back onto its rack. "Why don't we go and ask around? I'm sure one of the workers here know how to pick fruits."

"A-A-Ask?" The younger boy looked absolutely terrified. "It's okay, Ness; I don't want to bother-"

"I'll ask for you."

Hesitating, Picky looked up. "Really?"

"Sure thing!" Ness said, confidently taking his hand. Picky's features had brightened up, and for some reason, the sight warmed Ness's heart. "Come on, let's go."

"Sorry for being an inconvenience...," Picky said, trying to keep up with him. His eyes suddenly widened. "Worker! Over there!"

"Where?!"

"There!"

After a mad scramble, two alarmed O-Mart workers, and a near head-on collision with the ice machine, two grinning boys emerged, successfully carrying bags of ripe apples in their grip.

"Your mom sure likes apples," Ness said, eyeing the bulging bags.

In happier spirits, Picky nodded. "We've been buying more food because of my brother's job."

Surprised, Ness turned around. "Your brother has a job?"

The younger boy gasped, then quickly covered his mouth. "It was a secret! I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry. I won't ask." Ness looked puzzled. "Didn't think Pokey wanted a job. I wonder what he does."

"Well..." Picky bit his lip. He clearly looked uncomfortable about breaching the subject. "Ness? Can I tell you a secret?"

Ness paused.

This was just getting weirder and weirder by the second.

"Sure."

Shaking slightly, Picky played with his fingers. "I don't know _what_ he does," he admitted. "All I know is that he comes home with cash...a-and it's like, _wads_ of bills. Mom and dad have been pretty happy recently; they seem to know what he's doing, even though Pokey won't tell me. I guess the job pays okay-"

A giant bellow that made them both jump. "PICKY! _There _you are! Come on, useless, I don't have all day to lounge around-"

Pokey halted in his tracks. For a second, he could only stare dumbly at his former friend, and Ness returned the look with unreadable violet eyes. During this brief scrutiny, Ness noticed that Pokey had thick, blue bags under his eyelids. In fact, he almost looked as tired as Claus himself.

Eventually, Pokey's gaze flickered to the umbrella in Ness's hand.

A strange emotion flashed across his eyes.

Trying to divert his attention, Ness awkwardly offered his bag of apples. "Uh...this is yours."

Without a word, Pokey snatched the bag from his hand. Yanking Picky over by the hand, he stomped out. With the cool whizz of electricity, the convenience doors smoothly slid shut behind them, obscuring the brothers from view.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The hour-long bus trip from the city felt longer than Claus had remembered.

Everything felt _wrong._ Not many people took the route to Tazmily, but the metal space felt emptier than usual. The seat felt much too big for one person. The lack of a warm weight on his shoulder felt too cold. And so, the minutes crawled by: sluggish, slow, and strange without someone to pass the time.

Dull blue eyes stared at the back of the busted seat, watching several loose, corkscrew springs jump in the greasy, yellow sponge. Behind him, he vaguely registered two girls whispering under hushed tones, both dressed in the tell-tale pink-and-white of Onett waitresses.

"She missed her shift today."

"Kumatora was always such a wannabe. I heard that she flirts with older men. Especially with that bass player in the DCMC."

"The one with the tacky afro?"

"Yeah, she likes to book some _private time_ after his performances at Titiboo."

"Wonder what she really does behind the scenes. Wink, wink."

The one on the left shoved her friend in the shoulder. "Girl, you _nasty!"_

Bringing their gloved hands to their mouths, they giggled obnoxiously.

Resting his head against the glass pane, Claus stared out the window, trying to tune them out in the sound of rain.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

One hour of mindless chatter had taken a toll on his patience.

Simmering in an ugly fury, Claus kicked the door open with a well-placed hit with the heel. Boney jumped at the loud noise. Sensing his master's foul mood, the brown dog whimpered and took refuge under the kitchen table.

_"Claus, we know that you're worried about Lucas-"_

Trying to ignore the voice in his head, Claus slammed the front door shut, messily kicking off his shoes. The unpleasant sound did nothing to divert his thoughts. Who did Ninten think he was, pretending to know how he felt?

_"-and we know you're really upset-"_

Emitting an incoherent cry, he hurled his school bag onto the floor. Books tumbled out of the open pocket with a loud crack, spilling out beside his feet.

_"-but turning yourself into a wreck isn't going to help anyone!"_

"Shut up, Ninten!" With a deep scowl, Claus threw his hands up into the air. "_Perfect._ Now I'm talking to myself. The first step to insanity!"

Drained, he flopped onto the couch, sinking into the cushions.

_Claus is my hero._

Right. Some hero _he_ was. He couldn't even save his brother when he had needed him most.

_"I have also graded your brother's essay," Miss Marshmallow had said, peering down at him through her red reading glasses. There was something oddly soft layered underneath the usual monotone. "If you don't want it back, I understand-"_

_"No. I'll take it."_

_For the first time in the three years he had known her, Miss Marshmallow hesitated. "Very well, Claus," she had said quietly. "I'll return it to you under one condition. If you want to read your brother's essay, I suggest that you do it alone."_

So that was why.

Gingerly taking out the crumpled essay with shaking hands, Claus smoothed it out. As usual, Lucas's handwriting looked modestly elegant; not over the top, yet appealing to the eye. Thinking back on it, Claus had remembered how bothered Lucas had looked when the younger twin had been teased for not showing him his essay. Claus had thought little of the page-long assignment at the time; he had merely ended up BS-ing something about nature. He hadn't taken the assignment seriously.

But Lucas had.

Shame twisted his insides.

_My brother is that hero. _

_My brother__ is that hero I could never become._

He didn't understand. What was Lucas talking about? What thoughts had traveled through Lucas's head as he carefully slashed his i's and looped his l's in the middle of night?

Claus wished he could ask.

But Lucas was never coming back. He was fast asleep in the the arms of Eternal Dreams, never coming back because of some stupid driver's carelessness. Few comatose victims ever came back to life, and as much as Claus wanted to hope, the chances of Lucas waking seemed infinitesimal. They would run out of money before even a year of treatment was over.

_Claus is my hero._

Sinking into the couch, Claus scrunched his eyes, burying his head into his hands with a quiet whisper. "I could've stopped this...I could've _saved_ him..."

"Claus."

His eyes snapped open in shock.

Flint stood at the doorway, watching him with an unfathomable expression on his face.

_Had he been watching the entire time? _

Claus flushed; the last thing he wanted to do was show off his state of weakness to his father. Instantly, his expression of misery suddenly shifted to that of defiance, and eyeing him with a look of pure distrust, Claus muttered a few words under his breath. "I'm back."

Flint silently took his words in. "Homework?"

Claus gave a curt nod. "How's Lucas?"

"Sleeping."

"Cool."

With those awkward pleasantries finished, Claus rummaged through his bag for his physics textbook, no longer interested in engaging his father in further conversation.

Had Claus looked up, he might have noticed that Flint's palms were shaking uncontrollably in spasms, or that Flint was leaning slightly against the wall for support. But Claus continued to glare at his pencil with stony eyes, and ferociously scribbled something down with a tense hand.

With Lucas gone, they had no mediator. After years of pent-up resentment and deep-rooted anger, the bridge between them had finally snapped.

Watching his son attack his homework with a furious vigor, Flint stayed silent - he didn't seem to know what to say. By this point, he would've been gone, leaving his sons to their own devices. More often that naught, it had usually worked. The twins were strong. They could handle anything on their own.

But they were still children...

They were _his _children.

Claus had suddenly come to a halt, clenching the physics textbook with white knuckles. A broken sound had escaped through gritted teeth, a noise that sounded vaguely like a hoarse whimper. Despite the cold mask of indifference, his eyes betrayed him, flashing in a torrent of conflicted emotions: anger, pain, sadness, confusion, _a_ _silent plea-_

Slamming the textbook shut, Claus picking up his discarded bag. "I'm going to my room-"

Flint met his eyes. "Sit."

"What?" Claus said hoarsely in disbelief, as if not believing his ears.

"You heard me."

Angry tears finally flying out of his eyes, Claus tried to shove him aside. "DAMN IT, DAD! MOVE!"

But Flint stayed still as Claus rained halfhearted blows at his chest, then punching though the plaster wall with a fist, dissolved into a pitiful mess of incoherent words. Silently, Flint guided him back to the couch. The pillows sank easily under their combined weight, rusty furniture springs creaking in protest. Flint said nothing as Claus cursed himself out, sitting beside his son with lowered eyes.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Finally, Flint spoke up. His low baritone carried itself across the room. "Did you eat?"

Claus didn't respond. Messy tears leaked out of his eyes.

His father lowered the brim of his hat, then made his way over to the kitchen. He cracked open the top cabinet, tugging out a loaf of bread, then headed over to the fridge. Sensing that the storm had passed, Boney peered out of the kitchen table with another whimper, then slunk over to Claus's hand, sniffing his fingers. Absentmindedly, Claus scratched him behind the ears, and Boney panted, goofily lolling his tongue out. Claus unwillingly cracked a grin, but upon catching it, Boney lolled his tongue out more, hoping to cheer him up.

_Don't be sad, _the dog seemed to be saying._ Look, I've learned some new tricks!_

It worked somewhat. Claus smiled, albeit a bit strained, then hugged the dog around the neck. "You don't have to try impressing me, Boney. You're already one of a kind."

As if understanding him, the dog happily perked his ears up and wagged his tail. With a wet nose, Boney nudged his closed physics textbook on the floor, and Claus picked it back up, opening it back to the trapped page. Lowering his head, he returned to scribbling halfhearted answers onto the creased homework sheet.

A small plate of sandwiches clattered onto the circular desk: a peace offering.

Claus ignored it.

"I quit drinking."

The scratch of the pencil ceased.

"Figured that I should take care of the farm a little more. Sow more crops. Raise more cattle. Save more money for your college funds."

"That's...good," Claus managed to say.

His father shifted, sinking back into the couch. "It ain't gonna be easy," he admitted bluntly. "But it's the right thing to do."

Claus had no idea what to say. Flint had given up all hope after Hinawa's death. Lucas's car accident should have been more than enough to make his father crumble into ruin, but here this strange man sat, vowing to rebuild his world from the ashes. A strange fire, it seemed, had been rekindled in his eyes.

"You said you were going to quit drinking last time." The bitter words escaped before Claus could stop himself. "You promised."

Flint met his eyes. "And I intend to keep it."

His father's intense gaze skewered his soul. Suddenly feeling ashamed, Claus flickered his eyes down to the book. "Whatever."

Unfazed by his son's reaction, Flint ambled away, an unsteady gait in his legs. The odd movement caught his eyes, and Claus paused, lifting his head. Realization finally hit him.

_W__ithdrawal symptoms?_

Without a word, Claus bolted to his feet, looping one of his father's arms around his shoulders for support. Taken aback, Flint looked just as surprised as he did.

"Don't want you to crack your head against the floor," Claus muttered, gaining a sudden interest for the ceiling.

After a moment of composing himself, Flint nodded. It was a tiny step - a baby step - but at least they were going in the right direction.

Then Alec burst in, interrupting the rare sentimental moment. "Hospital called!" he gasped, clutching the stitch at his side. "We need to drive over _now."_

Claus started, jumping to his feet. "Gramps-"

Catching the urgency in his tone, Flint marched to the garage. "I'm driving. Get in the car."

Knowing better than to ask, Claus ducked his head into the back seat. As soon as Alec had hobbled to the front, Flint slammed the gears. For a split second, Claus angled himself in time to catch the look on his grandfather's face.

It was one that spoke of bad news.

* * *

**Author's note: I haven't updated this in a while, but again thank you for your reviews and support! ****This chapter was a tad bit difficult to write but I managed to make it flow a bit smoother.**

**The story is going to expand slightly from what I had originally planned (so I wouldn't be boring you all with teenage Claus angst all the time). ****I will change the title/summary if necessary (If I can think of a less corny name), but other than that, the story won't be too drastically different. Just shifting around a few viewpoints and getting a mixed assortment. :) Don't worry; I'll still give ya'll the fair share of Claus love. SHARE THE LOVE**

**Erm...Something you should probably know-I'm a fan of cliff hangers. Join the club!**

**On the other hand...Happy 2015!**

**I do not own the Mother/Earthbound series.**


	5. Mother?

_"Gramps, why did the hospital call?"_

_"Be patient, Claus. I'll tell you when we get there-"_

_"It's about Lucas, isn't it?"_

_"..."_

_"I'm not a kid anymore, gramps. You can't hide everything from me-"_

_"Lucas is in critical condition."_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The speedometer never dipped below eighty.

Flint gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his fingers turned an alabaster white. The brim of his hat draped his face in shadow, but Claus was grateful; he was afraid to know what expression his father was wearing.

Sitting beside his son-in-law, Alec didn't fare any better; the man looked as old and fragile as every year of his age. After feebly cracking halfhearted attempts to break the mood, he fell silent when neither of his kin reacted to his morbid jokes.

From the back, Claus could only stare at the windshield.

Not another word was spoken.

As soon as they had checked in at the hospital, the family hurried into the coma ward without second thought. While Flint and Alec had stopped to consult the doctor, Claus had sprinted towards the bedside. Lucas's face looked abnormally flushed; he was shivering despite the layers of bedsheets that covered him.

"What's wrong with him?!" Claus managed to ask, voice cracking in terror.

"I have good news and bad news. Well...let's start with the good news." The doctor flipped over the papers on his clipboard. "Despite his comatose state, most of Lucas's organs were healing. He was on a steady incline to physical recovery."

Flint shifted his hat. "And the bad news?"

"The bad news...His fever is fatal. One-hundred and ten degrees, and still counting. At this rate, the heat will soon denature his proteins and kill him within the hour." The doctor wouldn't meet their eyes. "Mr. Flint...We've tried everything. The fever won't go down."

"Isn't there anything else you could do?" Alec pleaded.

"Besides pills and hydration, treatment is limited. With heavy internal injury to his organs, surgery is not a viable option." The doctor softly placed a hand on Flint's shoulder. "We called you in to be present for his final moments-"

Flint grabbed the doctor and shook him by the shoulders. "Do something!"

"I can't!"

"Flint-" Alec chimed in weakly.

"THAT'S MY SON LYING THERE! YOU CAN'T DO NOTHING!"

The doctor exhaled. "That's the problem," he said quietly. "There's nothing we _can_ do."

Flint stared at the doctor.

Jerking his hat over his eyes, he whirled out on his heel. Shortly after, they flinched as sounds of violent cracking and panicked screams hit their ears - from the sounds of it, Flint was beating up the vending machine. Alec shared a bleak look with the doctor before settling on a single resolve, hurrying after the distraught farmer in a loud racket of clamors and calls. The adults filed out in seconds, leaving Claus alone in the empty ward.

"Lucas," Claus whispered, carefully tucking one of his twin's sweaty blond locks of hair behind his ear. Lucas gave no sign that he had heard him, only taking in ragged breaths through the foggy breathing mask. In a reassuring gesture, Claus squeezed his twin's hand; once for hope, twice for luck. "Can you can hear me?"

No response from his twin except for the loud beeping of the heart monitor.

"Hey. Talk to me."

With pained effort, Lucas exhaled, his breathing irregular and unsteady.

_**Beep.**_

_**Beep.**_

_**Beep.**_

"Come on." Claus felt his throat close up. "Say something. One word. Anything would do."

His brother only heaved another rattling breath...then limply fell back onto the bed. This time, he was completely motionless - deathly quiet and still.

"Lucas?" Still caught by shock, Claus blinked, staring at his lifeless body before seizing up in panic. "Damn it! Lucas, wake up!"

__Oh no, I didn't mean to! Wake up, Lucas!_ I'm sorry!_

Shaking the flashback from his head, Claus almost dived across the bed, flinging the covers from his brother's body. "Lucas, breathe! BREATHE!"

_My brother is that hero._

"BREATHE, DAMN IT! Lucas, listen to me, okay? Listen to me! BREATHE!"

_My brother is that hero I can never become._

He might as well have been resuscitating a dead fish. The chest compressions did nothing to return stolen breath.

His vision blurred.

_Claus is my hero._

A hot sensation exploded inside his chest, trickling up his spine. He doubled over as the painful heat seared through his entire body, scorching through his weak limbs and aching bones. Feeling his knees succumb to weakness, Claus collapsed under his own weight, feeling the sickening sensation burst inside his head.

Black dots gnawed at the corners of his vision. Colors blurred like a topspin, and then voices, he heard voices_ everywhere_-

_Claus..._

The last thing he heard was a steady heartbeat.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus awoke in a meadow of sunflowers.

Caught by confusion, he slowly sat up. The sun was shining brightly overhead; the sky, a beautiful shade of azure blue. In his ears, the beautiful melody of bird song chirped, dancing through the air.

Perfect harmony. Perfect peace.

Was he dead?

Claus wasn't sure.

Then Lucas popped up, laughing in his face. That was when Claus decided that he was probably dead.

If so, this wasn't such a bad place to die.

Lucas's smile faltered, his arms extended behind him like a bird in flight. Bright blue eyes hesitantly studied his elder brother before Lucas snapped his head up, looking startled as if someone had called his name. Without even a whisper of a word, Lucas darted away, diving headfirst into the sea of sunflowers.

Panic quickly overwhelmed confusion; losing Lucas again wasn't an option. Without pause, Claus scrambled to his feet, chasing after him in hot pursuit. He was secretly glad that the sunflowers only came up to his chest; any taller, and he might've lost sight of Lucas from the start. Not used to being left behind, Claus stumbled, desperately calling out his brother's name.

As if hearing his voice, Lucas paused. He stood, patiently waiting for the elder twin to catch up, then began to sprint away.

The cruel game of Cat and Mouse restarted. Every time Claus felt like he was going to lose him, Lucas would respectfully pause, waiting for him to catch up. Every time Claus felt like he was about to catch up, Lucas would then flit out of reach. Faster and faster they ran; sunflower after sunflower they passed. The sun's rays twinkled, instilling golden petals with life; dancing leaves sang at the rhythm of their feet.

Lucas stopped.

Afraid that he was going to sprint off again, Claus scrambled forward, reaching for him with a shaking hand. "Lucas, wait-!"

Then he was airborne.

Feet met blue sky. In dawning horror, Claus felt his floating body begin to fall-

A firm hand gripped his arm.

Dangling a mile from the ground, Claus looked up with a grin. "You caught me."

With a soft gaze, Lucas pulled him back onto the cliff-top. Side by side, they sat with entangled legs, enjoying the majestic view of rustic Tazmily from the wondrous landmark. To the left the forest sat, peeking into their eyes with a shimmering green.

"Our house looks pretty tiny from up here."

Lucas hummed in agreement.

Claus turned, basking in the sight of his brother. Lucas no longer looked ill; his cheeks were still flushed, but they were aglow with a warm color that indicated health than sickness. His lips were curled in the same smile that spoke of brighter times; his hair, a happy yellow. In short, he looked radiant, alive in the mysterious world they were stuck in.

As if on cue, a soft whisper floated into his ear.

Claus felt his breath hitch in his throat. He couldn't, no, he _wouldn't_ dare to believe. All those forgotten years seemed to melt away; it was as if she was standing right behind them, murmuring gentle words into the wind.

But his senses didn't deceive him.

With a joyous exclamation, Lucas rushed over to greet their new arrival, and their mother embraced him with equal vivacity. Peering over at her other son, her lips sported a mischievous smirk reminiscent of his own.

"Come on, Mr. Grumpy-grumps, I know you want a hug too," she said, opening her arms out wider. Blinking back the sudden tears of emotion, Claus didn't hesitate to accept the invitation, sinking into her embrace. He breathed in deeply; after all these years, his mother still smelled of warm sunflowers and rose water.

"I missed you," Claus said hoarsely, finally withdrawing from her embrace.

"As have I," Hinawa said softly, ruffling his hair.

"Where are we?" Suddenly feeling scared, Claus chanced a look back at his younger brother. "Lucas...you were dying in the hospital-" Claus abruptly paused in mid-speech, caught by a sudden thought. "Are we dead?"

Hinawa held a faraway look in her eyes. "I am dead," she agreed. "You two, on the other hand, are currently standing between the realm of life and death."

"But how-?"

"Claus, listen to me. I don't have much time left. You will find out in due time," Her voice strained. Claus could tell; the sunflowers were beginning to look transparent; the sky a faint gray.

He nodded, and Hinawa looked relieved. As if taken in by a sense of urgency, she bent down, gripping their palms in her tiny hands.

"You and your brother have unlocked a dangerous power within you. A psychic power that may cause dire consequences if it falls into the wrong hands." She opened her arms. "In some people, this power slumbers, ready to be awakened into use."

In spite of himself, Claus lifted his trembling fingertips to his chest. He certainly didn't _feel_ any different. "But..."

"Everyone takes time to Awaken," Hinawa said softly. "You can't see it, Claus, but it's always been there. It's in your blood. Your power, once dormant, is very much alive."

"My power...?"

Hinawa gazed at them. "Love, Claus. Love."

Claus felt extremely let down. "...Oh."

Hinawa laughed, a delicate, tinkling bell-like sound. "Do not underestimate love, Claus. Love might not seem like much...But it is perhaps the most powerful force in the universe. Love can be used to hurt people, yet heal others. Love is the passion that drives us, Love is the sentiment that brings us together. That same love for your brother unlocked the power within you." Her skin was starting to shimmer; Claus could see the blue sky through her now fading dress.

"But now that you know of its presence, keep it safe until the need arises. Psychic powers are rare, but for twins to share the same power...the strength of its awakening will have certainly attracted unwanted attention."

She knelt down and gripped the startled ginger by the shoulders. "Protect each other. _Trust _each other."

Claus could only nod.

Hinawa relaxed, and withdrew from him with a sigh of relief. She was now a faint shade in the background. "Please stay safe, my sons."

The background blurred into blocks of color. His mother's voice was now just a mere whisper in the wind.

_...I love you._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus was submerged in blissful darkness.

He felt weirdly exhilarated, yet completely exhausted at the same time; a sensation akin to the time he stumbled off a rollercoaster ride. His limbs were useless weights sinking into the bed, and his fingers tingled sharply as if he had pins and needles. Though soft sheets covered him, snugly wrapped around his shoulders, he felt as if he had swallowed several ice cubes.

Claus shivered.

There was the crisp rustle of sheets. Someone was sitting close by, running their fingers through his sweaty hair.

"Claus?" A whisper. "Are you awake?"

_Claus?...Claus?...Claus?..__._

The voice echoed painfully in his ringing head.

"I had...the strangest dream," Claus croaked. His eyelids remained closed; they rested heavily on his face. "Everyone was waiting at the old sunflower field. We had a picnic, dad...but you never came...and...and the sandwiches went bad..." He wrenched his eyes open a slight crack. The darkened figure in his vision blurred nauseatingly. "Is that you, dad? Are you dead too?"

He felt the stranger shift slightly, and suddenly felt afraid. "Don't...Don't leave-"

Smooth fingers trailed across his shoulder in soothing circles, before a hand latched onto his palm with a reassuring squeeze. A comforting presence brushed against his mind, and Claus felt the turbulent nightmares melt away into the deepest crevices of his soul.

_Sleep, Claus..._

And with a last sigh, Claus fell into peaceful dreams.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Something cold and wet poked his face.

Blue eyes shot open. Ninten's face was less than an inch away from his, wide eyes staring down at him in panic.

"AAAAH!" Claus flinched, knocking his head against his.

There was a dull crack as two skulls collided. With a yelp, Ninten flailed backwards off the bed, landing on his rear with a painful _thump._ He dropped the wet rag clenched in his hand, then threw the twin a rueful glare. "Seriously, Claus?"

Stuffing his face into his pillow, Claus turned over. "Go away. I was having a good dream before you barged...in."

His voice faltered. Claus's eyes widened in realization - Since when did Ninten hang out at _his_ place?

"You're welcome for the wake-up call," Ninten continued, sniffing in disdain. "It wasn't easy to convince my dad to drive me over all the way-"

Claus blinked. "You're here."

"Well, duh."

"No, I mean, you're_ here."_

Ninten raised an eyebrow. "Got a problem with that?"

"Great. This is a fucking nightmare. Now _you_ know where I live." Claus groaned, then rubbed his throbbing head. He pushed himself up, squinting into the afternoon light. "How the hell did you find out anyway?"

"Well..."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

To Claus's rising bewilderment, Ness peeked in. Realization dawned in his eyes, and Ness sheepishly threw the bedridden boy a wave. "Hey, Claus!"

"...why are you in my house."

A statement, not a question.

"Sorry to disturb you." Ness awkwardly gestured behind him. "I was just helping Lucas catch up on homework."

"Lucas...?" Claus started slowly.

His friends shared a look, then Ninten shot him the biggest smile he had ever seen. "He's awake, Claus."

His mind went on overdrive. Claus clumsily pushed past them, then stumbled down the stairs with numb legs. Knees wobbling, he stopped at the foot of the staircase, unable to believe his eyes.

As if the past two weeks had never happened, Lucas was sitting at the kitchen table, skimming through the World History textbook. Drawing a finger down the page, he paused, reading a question. Blue eyes shone in realization before he quietly scribbled something into his notebook.

Catching up to the elder twin, Ninten seemed unable to lose his smile. "Talk to him," he encouraged, gently nudging Claus forward. "He's missed you for three days."

Trembling, Claus took a shaky breath and stepped forward. Deep in concentration, Lucas didn't notice him until Claus had made his way across the room to stand behind his chair. As if sensing his presence, Lucas lifted his head.

"Ness, I think that General Fobby had more battle experience, not Lieutenant DryGuy-" Lucas spoke, swiveling around. He instantly froze, eyes widening at the sight of his brother. "...Claus?"

With a sharp intake of breath, Claus rushed over, closing in the remaining distance. He crushed his younger brother in an embrace, driving all the air out of his lungs. "Lucas."

Relief showering his features, Lucas hugged him back. "Hey, you're awake."

"Damn right I am!" Without skipping a beat, Claus dragged a yelping Lucas off his chair, forced him into a headlock, then ruffled his hair in an unforgiving noogie. Lucas squirmed, desperately scrabbling at his arms, and Claus laughed, unable to resist a large grin. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do _that_."

"Not cool!"

"Says who? _You're_ the one who left me hanging! Slept for what, eight plus days?"

"C-Claus...t-too tight...can't breathe," Lucas managed to wheeze out.

Alas, it was far too late. There was no stopping the Overprotective Brother on a roll. "You _idiot!"_ Claus squeezed him tighter. "When that truck ran into you, I thought-! AUGH!"

"Wait, don't strangle- ah, who am I kidding?" Ness watched the younger twin flounder pathetically across the floor. "Poor Lucas. He had to go through the exact same thing two times-"

"Ness almost choked him by accident," Ninten smirked.

Ness gulped as the Beast arose, hopefully sniffing the air. Claus's _overprotective brother_ senses kicked in overdrive; he gave the baseball captain the evil eye, all the while loosening his grip on his relieved brother.

"I didn't _actually_ choke him, honest!" the poor soul squeaked. Claus shot Ness one last halfhearted glare before succumbing to giddiness. How could he not? Lucas was alive. Everything was going to be okay.

Well, mostly.

"Why aren't you guys at school? Did you guys skip class?" Claus narrowed his eyes. "Knowing Ninten, he's probably turned into a hobo truant-"

"Did not!" Ninten protested. "It's Saturday, you jerk!" He kicked his wet rag out of the way. "We've been helping Lucas catch up on homework. That was literally the only reason my dad would let me out of dance tutoring. Which kinda sucks, because I actually like ballroom dancing. But hey, you've also got some missing work to do on your plate."

"I do?"

"You've missed school for three days."

Struck speechless, Claus's hand flew to his face. "...What happened?" he murmured, feeling his own forehead. "Was I burning up?"

Lucas gently dropped his pencil into the binder of his book. "It's a long story," he finally said, eyeing Claus with a sympathetic look. "I think you should eat something first before we talk-"

"No," Claus cut him off, stubbornly hobbling over to the fridge. "I got this."

"Wait-"

"NOT TODAY, LITTLE BROTHER!" Claus shouted, shoving him aside with glee.

"Claus! I'm only younger than you by _two_ minutes!" Lucas argued, trying to follow suit. "Go rest-"

"Shut up! I'm cooking!"

"You just woke up!"

Laughing, Ness made his way over to break their squabble up before skidding to a halt; Ninten had yet to budge from the doorway. "Yo, you coming?"

Ninten jerked out of his daze. "Doorknob!" he blurted, snapping up in shock. "Oh, I mean...yeah, I'm...uh...doorknob. Gotta go to the bathroom! See you!" he yelled, racing up the stairs to the bedroom, leaving a completely baffled Ness in the first floor. Shaking away his strange response, Ness returned to helping out the twins. In several seconds, Ninten heard his excited voice join the others.

Releasing an explosive sigh, Ninten slid down the door of the closed bedroom. "Idiot," he muttered, throwing his cap off to massage his head. "Idiot, idiot, idiot. Come on, keep it together..."

With a rueful look, Ninten glanced at his hands. His grin faltered. With a burst of concentration, a few sparks of energy wrapped around his fingers before he extinguished them.

While it was great that Claus had woken up on his own, Ninten knew that he had been _extremely_ lucky not to have been caught in the act. Had Claus woken up a second sooner, he could've seen it.

PSI.

"You can do this. You can tell them."

Sure. Ninten could almost imagine his friend's expressions in his head. Words like "Freakshow" and "Monster" ran through his mind, and he flinched.

There was no doubt about it. They were definitely going to hate him.

A sudden shriek jolted him out of his reverie. "Ninten! Help us!"

_Another time. I'll tell them another time._ Ninten resolved. He flew down the stairs poste-haste, bracing himself for whatever mischief Claus had caused.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Needless to say, Ninten was unprepared for the fiasco in the kitchen.

"Do something, Lucas!"

"Claus, don't wave it around!" the younger twin yelped, narrowly ducking underneath the flaming fireball of doom.

The frying pan in Claus's clutches was on _fire_.

Ness was doing his best to put it out, waving his hat over it to extinguish it. "Get some water!" he yelled.

Lucas ran over to the sink and frantically turned the valves on to max. Nothing happened.

Lucas's face paled. "Dad must have forgotten to pay the water bills again!"

"Let me try!" Claus shoved him aside, then swiveled the knob to no avail. "OH FUCK! We're so screwed!"

Ninten stood there, mouth agape. "What in the holy name of Mother-"

Lucas dashed into the backyard. "I'll check the well!" his muffled yell resounded as footsteps petered off into the grass.

"Hey, what am I supposed to do with _this__?!_" Claus screamed, waving the pan into the dry sink. "Carry it?!"

"Bring it outside!" Ness yelled.

"Great idea, _genius!_ Let's burn all the crops!"

"It's either that or the house."

"I DON'T LIKE EITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS."

"What other choice do we have?!"

Suddenly, the door swung open, releasing a giant bellow that made them all flinch. "OUT OF THE WAY!"

A hose sprayed over the entire kitchen, dosing the flames out. When the forceful current of water stopped, three sopping children turned around to face a thoroughly bemused Flint.

"Uh...hi, dad," Claus piped up, spewing out a trickle of water from his mouth.

Flint's voice sounded dangerously quiet. "What the devil happened here?"

Claus gulped. "Well...we were cooking omelettes-"

"I wasn't," Ninten muttered. Ness elbowed him in the side to shut up.

"-and the pan caught on fire," Claus finished lamely.

His father simply stared at him. "Then why didn't you douse it with water?"

"We tried, but I think we forgot to pay the water bills-"

His father blinked. "No, I paid in time. The kitchen sink's just broken. I came in to fix it."

"Oh."

'_Oh'_ did little to sum up the terrible realization of their stupidity. In fact, the silence was so profound that Claus swore he could hear crickets chirping in the background. The intimidating man studied their sopping faces one by one, then with a deep frown, opened his mouth-

"I brought some wa-AAaaaah!" With a cry of alarm, Lucas tripped over his feet. The bowl of water flew from his hands and overturned right on Flint's head in a huge splash.

Calamity Two-point-Fucking-Oh.

Lucas froze, an expression of utmost horror growing across his face. Claus admitted that the comical sight would've been funnier had the situation not been so serious.

"Dad?!" Lucas sputtered in disbelief. Flint said nothing, and lifted the empty bowl from his sopping hair. He gazed at his youngest son, who was now profusely streaming apologies like running water. "I-I, oh geez. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to get you wet! There was...we tried...fire-!"

"You two are grounded from the kitchen."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"That was a disaster."

"No kidding. We almost burned the house down."

Lucas groaned, placing his head into his hands. "I hope that dad's okay-"

"It's just water," Claus reassured, sympathetically patting him in the back. "But yeah, you need to work on your coordination, because it's absolutely _terrible."_ Lucas shoved him in the shoulder, and Claus laughed, trying to fend him off. "Okay, I'm sorry! Ow, don't hit me there-"

Looking worried, Lucas instantly withdrew. "Did I hurt you?"

Claus waved him off. "Nah. You punch like a sissy."

"I'm not a sissy!" Lucas protested, puffing up his cheeks in indignation.

His brother only smirked then pinched his cheek. "Sissy."

Lucas reddened, and Claus laughed again, clutching his stomach. Oh sure, he felt _terrible_ for teasing his brother, but at the same time, it was so _terribly_ amusing. Claus had forgotten how much he missed this; making fun of his twin was something Claus hadn't realized he'd missed until it was gone.

A warm feeling blossomed in his chest.

Chortling his giggles away, Claus sat up, only for Lucas to wrestle him back down. "You need rest," Lucas said firmly, blinking back at him with serious eyes.

"Lucas, I feel _fine_. Honestly, I'm just surprised that he grounded us."

His younger brother fell silent. "It's been years since dad's grounded us for anything."

"I know, right?" Amused, Claus rolled onto his stomach and rested his elbows against the mattress. "He even cooked dinner today. Weird, or what?"

"Well...Claus, while you were out, he's been making our meals."

Claus almost toppled over in shock. "Really?"

"I have a feeling that dad was looking for an excuse to ground us from the kitchen." Lucas bit his lip; he sounded terribly puzzled. "I wonder why...He's already got so much on his shoulders without cooking..."

The thought warmed Claus's heart. "Yeah, he really doesn't have to..."

Sighing in deep satisfaction, Claus stretched his arms, then turned over in his mattress. For the first time in a while, they had sat together for dinner as a family and _talked_. It was a lively atmosphere buzzing with energy; he and his twin brother were all too happy to catch up on everything that had happened while Flint had listened and occasionally added in his own two cents. Alec had even thrown him a nod of approval; something that gramps had never done before. A strange sort of pride infected him, and he felt high, drunk on his happiness.

But there was one thing Claus had not yet forgotten.

"Lucas?"

"Hmm...?" Lucas's voice trailed off sleepily; he had long since returned to his own side of the room.

Claus closed his eyes. "On the day of the accident...what happened?"

"Huh?"

"You know, the accident?"

"I got hit by a car."

"No, I mean-" Claus impatiently waved his arms around. "_The_ accident. Why were you out on the road in the first place?"

He heard Lucas shift uneasily in his bedsheets. "Claus, what are you talking about?"

Claus's eyes snapped open in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"At first, I didn't understand either," Lucas said quietly. "When I returned to school, that was the first thing people asked me. _Why did you climb over the fence, Lucas? _But I...I don't remember. Wasn't I playing baseball with you?"

Oh, boy.

"You've got to be kidding me." In an instant, Claus had flown over, dragging his struggling brother upright. "Are you serious?!"

Looking lost, Lucas squirmed in his grip. "Claus..."

"What's the name of our dog? Where do we live? What's-"

"I don't have amnesia-"

"Answer me!"

His brother sounded so rattled that Lucas caved in. "Boney, Tazmily," he muttered, averting his eyes. "Really, I haven't forgotten anything. It's just-"

"It's just _what?!"_

"How did I forget?"

"...I don't know." There was a loud rustle of bedsheets as Claus abruptly sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He dangled his feet onto his bed, looking troubled. Sensing his twin's troubled disquiet, Lucas softly crawled over, sidling next to him in a comforting manner. Two mirroring pairs of blue eyes met: one filled with fearful uncertainty, the other with confident compassion.

"I'm still me, Claus. Nothing's changed." Lucas said, gently lifting a hand over his and clasping their fingers together. "And even if I lost my memory, I could never forget you."

Hesitant, Claus met his eyes. "Really?"

Lucas opened his mouth to answer, then suddenly stopped. He recoiled, breathing hard.

Alarmed, Claus sat up. "Lucas!"

"O-Ow-"

"What's wrong?"

"My head...I think I'm..." Lucas grimaced. "Remembering something..."

In growing trepidation, Claus leaned over. "What do you remember?"

"I don't..." Lucas's expression fell blank.

Alarmed by his slack features, Claus gripped his brother's stiff fingers. "Lucas...? Lucas, take it easy, okay? If it's something bad, then you don't have to force yourself to-"

The next thing Claus knew, Lucas was laughing, bright peals of sound that echoed against the walls. Cracking a small grin at his dumbfounded look, Lucas punched him in the arm. "You hypocrite!"

Claus blinked. "Huh?"

"Don't you pretend! Ness hit that homerun out of the park, and you went climbing over the fence for it. You didn't have to go out of your way to pick it up! Were you that sour about giving him a victory?"

"..."

Sensing that something was wrong, Lucas stopped laughing, training his eyes on Claus's blank face. "What's wrong?"

"Lucas..." Claus spoke, finally turning to look at him. "I never climbed over the fence."

* * *

**Author's note:**** Hey guys! School just started so updates will be a little slower. However, I decided to post this up and save ya'll the wait. ****Your support is once again, very welcome. Many thanks!**

**Thank you for your time!**

**I don't own the Mother/Earthbound series.**


	6. Oncoming Foe

_"Lucas...I never climbed over the fence."_

He had registered how his younger brother's cheeks paled, how his lips barely tautened at the corners in a slight curve. Some would say that his younger twin was more of the enigma; Lucas was easy, yet difficult to read. Lucas was an open book, but chose his words carefully. In fact, _careful_ described his brother perfectly. Perhaps that was why he was so reserved; Lucas only spoke when he was _absolutely_ certain of his words.

But years of experience had taught Claus a thing or two about reading his brother's body language.

Denial. Doubt.

Disbelief.

Wide-eyed, Lucas lifted a hand to his forehead in confusion. "It can't be," he muttered. "I _saw_ you. I _talked_ to you." His voice turned quiet. "You even waved me over..."

"That's impossible. I was at the field the entire time," Claus said sharply.

Ninten was right.

This was no ordinary accident.

Narrowing his eyes, Claus clenched his fists; someone had the sheer _nerve_ to play around with his brother's mind like a toy. Someone had purposely wanted Lucas dead, and had used _his_ face to lure him into the trap. It was clever, malignant, and terrifying.

Whoever it was, this person was not to be underestimated.

Glancing at his brother, who was anxiously peering up at him in concern, Claus's blood ran cold.

_What if the killer was still after him?_

Claus didn't know how the killer had tampered with Lucas's memory, or how he had sprung the trap. He didn't know _anything_ about the killer; yet the killer seemed to know enough about them. Was the killer someone they knew?

Caught by a sense of urgency, Claus gripped his startled twin by the shoulders, then searched his eyes. "Lucas, I would _never_ put you in danger on purpose. I wouldn't. Do you trust me?"

His brother's gaze softened. "Absolutely."

Even with his reassurance, Claus sounded strained; without skipping a beat, he spoke rapidly, eyeing the window with careful distrust. "Then I want you to listen to me. I have a hunch about something, something bad, but I'm not sure. From now on, I don't ever want you going somewhere alone. Wherever you go, we're going together."

Lucas frowned, catching onto his brother's panic. "Why?"

A part of Claus had hoped that Lucas wouldn't ask. Now he felt that part wither and die.

His younger brother was too perceptive for his own good.

"Someone might be after you. Or maybe me. Or maybe even no one. I don't know." Claus's eyes flickered back to the window as if expecting the said "killer" to crawl in. "Before the accident occurred, did you remember feeling uncomfortable about anything? Anything in particular?"

Lucas hesitated, then shook his head. "I'm afraid not...I remember feeling scared at some point, but I can't seem to remember that far back." He threw Claus an apologetic look. "I think the accident took a toll on my memory. I've pretty much forgotten everything I'd learned on the first day of class."

"Oh." Claus swallowed hard, trying not to look disappointed. "That's fine."

Uncertainty began to creep into Lucas's voice. "C-Claus...maybe you're right." He exhaled a shaky breath. "What if I _did_ lose my memory?"

"You'll get it back."

"No." Lucas closed his eyes. "Something's telling me that I've lost it for good. I'm scared, Claus. Am I going insane?"

Hearing the ripple of fear in his younger brother's voice, Claus panicked. "Hey, uh, don't be stupid! It's just one day of your life. What's one day compared to an entire lifetime?"

"But back at the hospital...I almost died. I saw things. I saw _mom_."

"I did too."

"...We shared dreams?" Lucas asked in a hushed voice.

"Do you think it's our powers?"

His younger brother stared at him.

Feeling stupid for bringing up such a question, Claus laughed nervously, then waved his words aside in a feeble attempt to save himself. "B-But that's stupid, right? Psychic powers don't exist!"

Lucas didn't respond. A look of immense concentration flashed through his face before Lucas lifted his right hand into the air. "PK Shield," he whispered. A tiny hexagonal spark blossomed at the tip of his index finger, expanding into the air like a holographic snowflake.

"What the fuck-" Claus cursed, back-pedaling back onto the bed.

Lucas gave a jolt of guilt. "Sorry, Claus! I should've warned you-"

_It's okay_.

Lucas's eyes widened. "Claus, did you just-"

The red head grinned. "Yeah. I figured that this telepathy thing could work both ways. Before I passed out at the hospital, I heard your voice, but I thought my mind was playing tricks on me." Claus shifted his gaze. "And then last night...That was you again, wasn't it?"

Lucas looked embarrassed at being caught. "Sorry, you looked like you were about to have a nightmare, and I didn't want to intrude, but-"

"Thanks," Claus said sincerely.

Lucas studied him closely. Registering the look of gratitude on his face, he relaxed, settling into a smile. "What do you think brothers are for?"

Experimentally, Claus opened and closed his palm. As if he had downed an entire chocolate bar, the elder twin felt strangely hyperaware of his senses, feeling immense psychic power thrumming though his body in waves. Strange words instinctively caught on his breath, floating in his mind like an arsenal ready to be used.

_PK...PK...PK..._

Claus let loose a disgruntled noise. "Great. So I guess that means we're both abnormal freaks."

"We can't tell anyone else," Lucas said, anxious. "You're right. If there _really_ is someone out there who wants to abuse this power-"

Claus had abruptly cut him off by throwing an arm around his younger brother's shoulders and looping him in a tight hug. Lucas emitted a squeak of surprise; Claus absolutely _loathed_ physical contact, and Lucas remembered all too well how his brother's face used to scrunch up every time their mother kissed them good night on the forehead.

"Claus...?" Lucas whispered, blinking up in confusion.

Closing his eyes, Claus shook his head, tightening his grip. "Forget about it." Agitated PSI crackled at the soles of his bare feet. "If anything happens, Lucas...I promise, this time won't be like last time. I won't let you be...You won't be alone..."

Spotting his brother's drooping eyelids, Lucas gently poked him in the back. "Go to bed, Claus. You sound tired."

Yawning, Claus rubbed his eyes. "I am."

"How tired?"

"Really tired."

"...Wanna sleep over tonight?"

"Only if you want to."

Getting the hint, Lucas scooted back on his mattress to offer more space, curling his back up against the wall. Taking the silent invitation in a heartbeat, Claus gratefully crawled into the sheets, then wrapped his arms around his brother like an additional security blanket.

With a quiet breath, Lucas closed his eyes. "Good night."

"Sleep tight."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite."

"Good night..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It was time.

Pokey clambered out of bed, piling the sheets quietly to the side. Poking his head out of his bedroom, he peeked around, careful to check that Picky was out for the count. His younger brother was annoying to begin with, but nowadays, Picky was stepping over the line. He was getting too nosy for his own good. And Pokey hated nosy people as much as he hated friendstealers and backstabbers.

He stopped at the foot of the stairs. Nothing was different. Mother and Father were waiting for him as usual. Mother and Father were reclining against the half-sunken couch as usual. Artificial blue light washed over their pasty faces as the TV blared with flashes and high-pitched warble from the dramatic sitcom. Without turning his head from the flickering screen, Mr. Minch finally spoke.

"Fork it over."

With fumbling fingers, Pokey shoved the entire wad of bills into his hand. It was only then both his parents paid him any attention; a greedy glint had entered their eyes at the sight of money grubbing.

The arrangement was simple: He gave them money. They left him alone.

A hard look suddenly overshadowed his father's face. "Hum-Hum! Only two hundred. What happened to the other fifty?"

Trembling, Pokey shook his head. He knew better than to take some money for his own since the first time round.

"I-I don't have any more."

His father studied him, squinting at him with his small, piggy eyes. Then to Pokey's relief, Father grunted, presumptuously stuffing the bills into his pocket. "Whatever, boy. Run off to your little rendezvous. But be back by ten! I don't want the police swarming my home. Hum-Hum!"

Without another glance in his direction, the obese man returned his attention to the TV.

Releasing the breath he had not known to be holding, Pokey bolted out, scrambling outside in half-worn tennis shoes.

Even at night, the city of Onett was wide awake. Lamp lights twinkled - bright, shimmering pinpricks in the gloom of darkness. Streets whistled with the wind of speeding cars, and noisy horns honked in a cacophonous concerto. Rubbing his hands against the Autumn chill, Pokey trudged six blocks down, then pushed his way into the bar.

_Jackie's _was known for its mixed atmosphere. Sparkling, transom windows seemed to emit a soft, golden glow that warmed its cheerful walls. In the front, they showcased their stereotypical customers: honest men who indulged in a drink too far with friends, or the entourage of workers dealing their hand in poker. However, the farther back an adventurous soul dared to venture, the heavier the air weighed on tense shoulders. The stark contrast was obvious; the private booths hadn't been aesthetically refurbished along with the rest of the cafe.

At the jingle of bells, the bartender, a swanky man with a gleaming mullet raised his eyes in his direction. In the midst of shadows, the lapel on his coat gleamed the name, _Leo_.

"You look a little underage to drink, Short Fry."

Pokey ignored him. "I'm here for my uncle," he lied. "Booth 3. Private transaction."

"The private booths aint no place for a kid like you. You're a minor." With a grunt, the man drew a long drag of his cigar, sprinkling ash onto the counter. "I'm not getting into any trouble with the police. Shoo, boy. Get-"

"He's with me."

A cold, spindly hand had clamped onto his shoulder, steering Pokey into the corner. Another second later, soundproof doors had quietly slid shut behind them. Settling onto the worn, gray seats in disgust, Pokey glanced up; his client's face was shadowed in the overhang of a beam.

They were both liars. Liars and Frauds.

His client sounded tired. "What do you want from me now?"

Pokey clenched his fists. "I'm here for my rightful compensation. You promised to pay me."

"I paid you what I promised."

"It's not enough!"

The mysterious figure shook his head. "A deal is a deal."

Pokey clenched his teeth, lowering his voice into a hushed whisper. "I thought you were just going to rough him up. You almost killed someone. I didn't sign up for _this_ when I agreed to work for you-"

"He's alive."

Pokey jerked his head by a tiny fraction. "What?"

The client lifted the glass of Bourbon to his lips. "Our Peeping Tom. He's alive. They released him from the hospital last week."

All the color escaped from Pokey's face. The blood roared in his ears in a massive wave of panic. "This is it. We're done for! He's going to tell the entire school, and then the police will be over us... What do we do?!"

The figure lowered the wine glass onto the table. It clinked onto the wood with the sound of shattering china. "We do absolutely nothing."

Pokey looked at the silhouette in disbelief. "Are you serious?!"

"I am." The figure played with the glass between spindly fingers. "His brother's reaction to his absence was a nice distraction at best, but Lucas is no longer a threat to our cause. He hasn't reported anything to the police. That means, if I am not mistaken, his memory must be impaired. Unless he brings the matter back up, we will do nothing. Now, onto the discussion of your _payment_-" Pokey perked up in his seat. "You haven't told me anything else of use."

"I already have! I found you that girl!"

"She is not the one I am looking for." Blue eyes pierced him through the shadows. "She can't be the only one here. I've felt traces of PSI in the school...there are more. You are hiding something from me."

"No, I'm not!"

"Yes, you are." A bemused stare probed Pokey's fearful expression. "I have eyes everywhere. Pokey. _Everywhere_, except inside the school. I cannot search the students in broad daylight without arousing suspicion. This is where you come in."

"I swear, I'm not hiding anything!"

A cold silence filled his ears. "I certainly hope so."

Wobbling in fear, Pokey clamped his jaw shut.

The figure eased into his seat. "Very well. I will take your word. Let us not spoil pleasantries with veiled threats...but if I find that you have lied to me-" His eyes hardened. "You will lose much more than money."

Pokey swallowed hard. "Yes, sir."

"Sweet dreams, Pokey."

On that pleasant note, the shadow rose. A handful of coins clattered onto the table. With the cheerful chime of bells, the figure disappeared in a tasteful shower of sangria.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It was the usual morning drill: Wake up, dress up, then pray to all the gods that he hadn't missed the sorry bus.

Cramming the last piece of wheat bread into his mouth, Ness checked his watch from the corner of his eye. He almost choked in alarm. Where did all the time go?!

"Trmmmmssie, hubby ub!"

"WHAAAT?!" his sister yelled from upstairs. "I CAN'T HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!"

With difficulty, Ness gulped down his mouthful of food. "HURRY UP! WE NEED TO CATCH THE FRIGGIN' BUS!" he shouted back, albeit so loudly that even fat, lazy King had perked up his ears. The disgruntled dog raised his head and shot him a disapproving look. Without skipping a beat, Ness winced, then tipped his hat in apology.

_Sorry to wake you, King._

_All is forgiven,_ King yawned, stretching out its limbs, then scratched at an itch with a hind leg.

"Ness!" his mother said, poking her head out from the kitchen. "No shouting!"

"My bad."

Little siblings had it easy. Whenever something went wrong, *POOF!* Big Brother was always the criminal, rebuked for "not being responsible enough" or "not acting as a good role model." Ness rolled his eyes, wisely clamping back any complaints about his younger sister.

Then again, he should know better than to shout like an obnoxious foghorn at six in the morning.

Ness let out another frustrated groan. "I'm not kidding, Trace! Hurry uuuuuuuuuup-"

"Coming!"

Tiny feet pounded down the stairs, and his younger sister emerged, her hair disheveled. Her blue, sparkling backpack danced on her back.

"Augh, Ness, you're so bossy!" Tracy poked his shoulder. "Do you talk to your _teachers_ like that?"

Rolling his eyes, Ness turned around, heading for the front door-

"Don't forget your packed lunches!"

Right.

Doubling back, Ness looped around the kitchen. "Thanks, mom! See you after school!"

Swiping their bento boxes from the counter, Ness dived out the door in a sprint. Panting for breath, Tracy materialized next to him, struggling to keep up. "Hey, hey! What's the rush?"

Her older brother kept a straight face. "I don't want to miss the bus."

"If you wanna chat with your friends, you can wait 'til lunch, Ness." Tracy made a face. "Loser. I can't believe I'm stuck with _you_ today because mom can't drive me to school. Why did you drag me out early...? I wanted to sleep in!"

Ness didn't turn around. "I wanted to check on Paula."

Tracy frowned. "Why?"

"She hasn't come to class since last Monday, and I haven't heard back from her about our study sessions," he answered, checking the street both ways before crossing. "I wanted stop by earlier, but I had to help Lucas out last week."

"She might be sick."

"For a full_ week_?"

"Well..." Tracy bit her lip, her smirk now transforming into an anxious pout of worry. "You're right. Paula totally freaks out whenever she has to miss school." They walked across the street into the next neighborhood, and Tracy hurried her pace to catch up to her brother's quickening strides. "I hope she's okay..."

"It can't hurt to stop by," Ness finished firmly.

Tracy sighed, knowing a losing argument when she saw one. "I guess not." She frowned and crossed her arms. "But don't start serenading her or do anything mushy in front of my face-"

"Tracy!"

"What? I'm just joking-"

"Shhh!" Ness shoved her into the nearest bush.

"Ow, ow! What was that for?!" Tracy winced as branches tore into her hair. "Sensitive much? I mean, geez, you know I'm just kidding_-"_

_"Get down!"_

"But why-"

Ness placed a finger to his lips to shush her, then pointed at the house right in front of them. Two people stood on the driveway. From where they were crouching, Tracy caught snatches of a hysterical conversation.

"-discovered no traces of her. Are you certain that she hasn't contacted you?"

"No!" The anguished, high-pitched voice cut into the air. "Paula's a good girl! S-She wouldn't simply run away without telling us!"

"Ma'am, we will do our best to find her."

"My p-poor girl..." Paula's mother sobbed, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "A-All alone and missing for f-five days...I'm such a horrible parent, I should've phoned her after school to check on her s-s-safety..."

The policeman placed a hand on the distraught woman's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself, ma'am. You did the right thing to contact us." He adjusted the hat on his head and gave a curt nod. "You never know with teens these days. Who knows, Paula might simply return home on her own. However, until that is the case, we will continue searching for her whereabouts." With a last tip of the hat, the man strolled down the street. Staring at the sidewalk with a heartbroken look, Paula's mother trudged back inside.

"Paula's _missing_?" Ness whispered, dumbstruck. He abruptly stood up, brushing the leaves from his shirt. A hard edge had entered his sharp voice. "Something's wrong, Tracy. You can't deny that."

"Why?" Tracy's eyes widened. "You think someone just snatched her off the street?"

Ness tensed, squeezing his fists so tightly that they turned pale. "You know that Paula wouldn't have gone down without a fight."

"That's what makes me worried," Tracy muttered. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "She's got these psychic powers like you do..."

"Exactly," Ness said grimly. Something dark caught the corner of his eye, and Ness frowned. Whatever it was, it was stuck in between the brambles of the rose bush. Ness squinted, leaning in closer, but in the shadows of the leaves, he couldn't make the object out.

Glancing around once, Ness snapped his fingers.

"PK Flash," he whispered. A controlled ball of light floated from his fingers, illuminating the object in question.

"Ness," Tracy hissed in fear. "I don't think that's a good idea..."

But her brother paid her warning no attention. With utmost care, Ness gingerly extricated a red ripped fabric from the sharp thorns. The faded piece of cloth looked strangely familiar...

A second later, horror struck him, and he almost dropped the torn ribbon onto the ground. "Th-This is Paula's!" he stammered. "But how-?"

"NESS!" his younger sister shrieked, yanking him down. Not a second too soon. Something hot grazed Ness's cheek, forcing him flinch on contact. His hands flew to his face; sticky blood oozed out from the shallow burn, dying his finger crimson.

"What the-?"

An ominous beeping erupted behind them. Stuffing the ribbon into his pocket, Ness seized his sister's hand and dragged them deeper into the foliage. Tracy yelped at the sudden speed, but didn't stumble, barely managing to keep the pace.

Trees hurtled past. Branches clawed at their hair.

Something thunked into the muddy ground. Ness screeched to a halt, protectively sweeping an arm in front of his sister as several strange figures obstructed his path. Their skin glinted an odd sheen of silver; their mechanical movements, eerily stiff.

"PSI detected 20 meters from current location."

Drones.

Glancing around, Ness cursed. Seven of them had appeared, surrounding the pair on all sides. Running away was not an option, and there were too many trees for Ness to attempt PK Teleport.

Wide-eyed, Tracy stepped back, shakily clinging onto his arm like a lifeline. "Ness, what are these things...?"

"Tracy, stay behind me," Ness ordered, silently appraising his foes. With a grim air, Ness drew out a baseball bat, which he had thankfully packed to replace one in school. "I don't know what they want, but whatever it is, it can't be good."

The nearest one lurched forward. It was close enough that Ness was able to read a label, _Starman_, delicately encarved into the metallic torso.

"Source of PSI identified. Target will be taken alive for testing."

Ness swung his bat forward with unsteady fingers. His hands shook. "S-Stay away from me."

"Target is not submissive. Force will be-" The baseball bat smashed into the Starman, crumpling its torso like a soda can. "U-u-use-d..."

Without second thought, Ness jabbed the wooden weapon into the "face" of a second and swung it down, creaming the Starman in the side. Unable to handle the sudden pressure, the bat protested loudly, then splintered into two much to his dismay. As the wrecked Starman fell, another cast its PK beam at him, which Ness narrowly blocked with a PK Shield. He grimaced as the force of the beam dragged his feet backwards into the dirt, bruising his ankles.

Losing any doubt of holding back, Ness let his power explode.

"PK Rockin'!" he yelled, shooting out his palm. At the explosive music, three of the remaining Starmen vibrated before sheer psychic power tore them into smithereens. With a sudden drop in stamina came nausea, and Ness doubled over, dry-heaving on his knees. _I haven't used my PSI in ages-_

"AUGH! Let go of me, you monsters!"

Ness whirled around to see his sister struggling in the iron grasp of sixth Starman.

"Tracy!" Desperately, Ness concentrated his power into his finger. "PK FLASH!"

The jittering Starman, now paralyzed, fell flat on its face, releasing its hold on his sister. Tracy wasted no time, picking up a sharp rock and bashing the the Starman's circuits in. On her fifth try, the sharp edge punched a hole through a weak chink in the unyielding metal, and with a hiss of smoke, the robot pooled onto the dirt in a mix of nuts and bolts.

"T-Thanks," Tracy gasped, panting for breath.

A sharp crunch of branches erupted behind him. Ness recoiled-

Too late.

A sickening crack. A hot, excruciating pain tore through his side. By turning around, Ness had left his guard wide open, leaving him vulnerable to the last Starman's assault.

Crashing into dirt from the solid hit, Ness writhed madly as one of his ribs gave way.

The Starman creaked its helmet down with a whir. Its right arm deconstructed, and a tranquilizer dart clicked into place. **"Capturing..."**

"Oh no, you don't!" Tracy yelled, hitting the Starman with a wayward branch. She effectively grabbed its attention, and the murderous machine swung its expressionless face in her direction. Scrambling backwards, Tracy squeaked, tripping over her own feet. In helpless horror, Tracy lifted her head, watching the Starman preparing to blast her to oblivion-

"T-Tracy..." Spitting out blood, Ness wrenched himself up to his knees. This had gone too far.

"PK ROCKIN'!" he roared one more, yanking a fist down from the heavens.

The disorienting attack was weaker than the first, but the flurry of musical notes was enough to dismantle the last opponent. Electricity buzzing through the cut wires, the metal man groaned, buckling onto its knees.

"Y-you will no-t es-cape..."

With a final groan, the machine shut down, its crimson eyes dimming to a dull black.

Ness collapsed on his hands, sweat pouring down his dust-patted hair. He gritted his teeth through cracked lips, gasping as the throb of his broken ribs mercilessly stabbed his sides. Agony like never before tore into his ribs when he moved, and involuntarily, he cried out, dropping to his side.

"Ness!" Tracy screamed, diving to his fallen form in alarm. Her figure swam in his unsettling vision. With shaky hands, Tracy fumbled for her dropped phone. "Big bro, w-wait just a sec, okay? I-I'm calling 911-"

"Don't."

Tracy stared at him, frozen in terror.

Trying to ignore the pain with a grunt, Ness focused his energy from his palm onto his chest. "LifeUp."

A cool, refreshing pulse washed through his weary body, soothing his troubled mind. Ness relaxed his tense muscles with a relieved sigh, rolling his shoulders to relieve the kink in his neck.

"Ness...?" Tracy began to sink into the verge of hysteria. "NESS!"

"Tracy, calm down. I'm okay," he reassured her, clambering upright on wobbly knees.

Watching him limp over, Tracy eyed each motion in rapt attention. "Are you...Are you okay?" she whispered hoarsely, staring at his blood-caked fingers. "Maybe we should call mom-"

"NO." Ness glared at her. "It's a secret, remember? Mom can't know about my powers!"

"You broke your ribs!"

"The more mom knows, the more likely she'd get hurt, Trace."

"But-"

"Do you want mom to _die?!"_ Ness said hoarsely, shooting her an intense look of pain that his sister involuntarily stepped backwards. "Is that what you want?"

Dropping her gaze to the ground, Tracy fell quiet. "Then...what about dad?"

Scrunching his eyes, Ness shook his head. "Not him too. It's bad enough that you found out last year."

Before he knew it, Ness found himself sprawling back into the dirt; Tracy had caught him in a flying tackle. Bewildered, Ness blinked, feeling small arms wrap around his waist in a searing death-grip. Craning his neck over her head, Ness was alarmed to see that Tracy was shivering violently, clutching his body in broken sobs. With a weak smile, Ness raised his hand, hesitantly patting it down onto her trembling hair. "Tracy-"

"I was so scared," Tracy choked, clutching his shirt with long fingernails. "I thought they...you..."

"It's okay," Ness said softly, pointing at his dirt-matted shirt. "I healed myself, see?"

Burying her face into the cloth, Tracy refused to let go. Shaking her head in a high-pitched whimper, she only clung onto his shirt tighter.

Ness's expression softened; his injury must have rattled her quite soundly. Carefully, Ness disentangled her iron grip from his shirt, then placed her hand against his side. "Feel that? My ribs are fine." Violet eyes confidently looked up into hers. "I'm okay, Trace."

Afraid that her brother was possibly deceiving her, Tracy hesitantly probed his side, gingerly poking the once-fractured bone before she nodded, slowly withdrawing from him in dissipating worry. Tracy sniffled, rubbing at her teary eyes. Pulling out a handkerchief from his bag, Ness gently pulled her close, dabbing her face clean with the soft cloth.

Releasing a shaky snort, Tracy batted his hands away. "I'm not three, Ness. I can do it myself," she said in a rather muffled voice, raising her arms to wipe the last of her tears.

With a sigh, Ness stumbled to his feet, raking his legs against the dirt-sprawled twigs and pebbles. Exhaustion shook his limbs, but Ness managed to hold out a hand to his sister. "We need to get out of here. Another attack is the last thing I want."

Tracy said nothing, but nodded. Curling her fingers tightly around his rough palm like a clamp, she toddled over, following her brother into a wide-open clearing. Mustering the last of his intense concentration, Ness closed his eyes. In a sudden burst of ash, the two disappeared, leaving almost no trace of their existence.

With its caved in chest, a dying Starman lay, buzzing weakly on the ground. Unforgiving red eyes scrolled through the recorded scene. "V-V-vide-o footage sent. Self d-d-destruct act-t-iva-ted..."

In a brief shower of silver sparks, all of seven Starmen disintegrated into the ground, leaving the forest as green and tranquil as before.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"What's up with the police today?"

"You noticed too? Yeah, they brought in the entire K-9 Unit during bio!"

"Come to think of it, Paula's gone missing, hasn't she?

"She has?"

"Yeah. Oh right, Lucas, you couldn't have known. Well, the entire school's pretty much gone anal about security after your accident. No kidding though. Kumatora definitely hasn't shown up in school for a month, and Paula disappeared last week."

"I wonder what happened to them."

"Ah, I guess that makes sense. Heh, I thought the police had come to arrest _you-_"

"Shut up, Claus."

"Who are you telling to shut up, crackhead-"

"...Ness?"

Said baseball captain blinked. "Huh?"

"We were talking about the missing students..." Ninten trailed off, uncertainly watching his childhood friend. Ness looked drained, his skin, an unhealthy pale. Even his black hair seemed to have lose its customary shine, opting for a dull, lackluster gray. "Well, nevermind. When's our next practice?"

"Oh. It's today, right after school." Picking at his food, Ness lowered his voice. "Fuel's taking over 'cause I'm not feeling too well."

Ninten eyed his friend with an odd look. "Since when did _you_ skip baseball?"

"Since today."

"Haha, very funny." Ninten stared at him as if Ness had grown two heads. "Seriously, Ness, you've been completely out of it all day," he noted. "Like right now. You're trying to stab your steak with your spoon."

Ness looked down at his lunch box in surprise. "Wha...?" Hastily dropping his spoon, he grabbed his fork. At this point, even Claus had stopped in mid-chew to shoot him a suspicious glance.

"Ness, you're acting weird. Well, _weirder_ than usual," the redhead added, watching as Ness dropped his silverware for the second time that day.

Ness shook his head. "I'm just tired."

Claus's stormy glare baked Ness's insides with cold fire. "Do you honestly think we're stupid? We know you're not telling us something."

"I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong with me," Ness shot back. Not in the mood for food, he pushed his lunch away in poor taste. To their surprise, even mouthwatering steak didn't seem to do the trick; Ness looked both queasy and nauseous at the sight of his favorite food.

His three friends exchanged alarmed looks.

"Okay, something's _definitely_ up," Ninten growled, clamping a hand on Ness's shoulder. "That's it, we're calling your mom-"

"Ninten," Ness hissed, violently shrugging him off. "This isn't fifth grade. I don't need to call my effing mom!"

A lazy smirk found its way on Claus's lips. "Childish much?"

Furious, Ness snapped his head up to argue, but luckily, a fourth voice neatly interrupted the would-be argument.

"Ness."

Said boy reluctantly swiveled around to face the speaker. In contrast, Lucas's blue eyes were as gentle as two pools of fresh spring water, quenching his frazzled nerves. "If you're not feeling well, it's not a problem. We can take you to the nurse."

Ness hesitated. For some reason, the shy twin seemed to crack open Ness's tough shell much more easily than Ninten's casual prodding, or even Claus's threatening scowl. Maybe it was because Lucas always seemed in sync with timing, knowing when to back off and knowing when to say the right things at the right time.

But not today.

"I'm good, thanks," Ness gritted, feeling hard lie sink between his teeth. He forced down the guilt that rose up his throat when Lucas studied him with a clearly unconvinced look, but despite his obvious displeasure, Lucas didn't pressure Ness any further.

"Ness, what-" Claus was cut off when Lucas elbowed him hard. They shared a wordless glance, then Claus dropped his head, continuing to eat his omelet with a disgruntled expression on his face.

"Twin telepathy," Ninten whispered, rolling his eyes at Claus, who was now sulking in his food. "I swear they can read each other's minds or something." Ninten shifted his gaze. "Are you _sure_ that you're fine? Because you don't seem fine to-"

"I'M. PERFECTLY. FINE."

Ninten snorted. "As fine as anyone who shows up with ash on their clothes and dried blood on their face. Did you murder a chimney on the way here?" He shook his head, but dropped the subject when Ness shot him a murderous glare.

Sparing a brief glance over his shoulder, Ninten frowned, then lowered his voice. "Hey. I think Pokey wants to talk to you. He's been standing there for the past minute."

Taken aback, Ness snapped his head up. True to Ninten's word, Pokey was watching him with an uncertain look on his face. The bigger boy had paused with his lunch tray, awkwardly hovering by their table, and an unreadable emotion entered Ness's expression. Ness lowered his fork to survey the other boy; violet eyes flickered upwards, then paused, resting on Pokey's collarbone.

Then, in a gentle voice that surprised everyone, Ness spoke. "You...okay?"

Pokey's eyes widened before relaxing by a tiny fraction. His mouth quirked upwards in a soft smile as if sharing a private joke. "Never better."

Without another word, Pokey sauntered off, leaving the entire lunch table to stew in stunned silence.

"What was that all about?" Claus whispered, confused eyes trailing after the bigger boy.

Lowering his head, Lucas said nothing, quietly taking in what he had seen. For the rest of lunch, the insinuation of the bruise on Pokey's shoulder plagued his mind.

* * *

**Author's Note**: **Hey guys!**

**I managed to finish writing this chapter. Midterms are already starting at the end of this week, therefore the next chapter might not come out for another month or so. Because of that, this is by far the longest chapter. In the meantime, I'll continue writing up the next chapters. :) Writing is really something I enjoy and eases up stress.**

**Again, your support is rad. It really gives me a kick and incentive to finish writing whatever crappy chapter I started to work on (to be honest, this one was a little tricky to get right and I'm not honestly sure if I'm happy with it haha). But I still think it's pretty cool to post in a website where a community of mother series fans exist. I know I've said this before, but seriously, you guys rock.**

**P.S. I started reading _The Notebook_ series by Agota Kristof (on which Mother 3 is based off of as you probably already know). It's dark, but the novel is definitely a classic. Her style of writing never fails to send shivers down my spine. I would recommend it if you want to read it.**

**To reduce confusion:**

"Talking."

_Thinking/Telepathy._

**[Insert appropriate disclaimer here].**


	7. Misplaced Revenge

"Now, can you stretch your legs out like this for me? Good, good."

Claus watched his twin with anxious eyes. "How is he?"

From the operation chair, Lucas threw him a look of embarrassment. _Claus, stop bothering the doctor. _

_I'm not bothering her. It's her job._

_You've asked her the same question every time she makes me do an exercise._

Claus shot him a disgruntled look, but said nothing to contradict him.

The doctor scribbled a sentence into her notes. "Everything seems to be in working order. Your brother has a remarkable aptitude for recovery. There should be no need for physical therapy," she said, shooting Claus a small smile. Reassured by her words, Claus relaxed in his chair, letting out a sigh of relief. "Lucas, you have slight muscle fatigue, but that should be gone within a month or two of exercise."

Out of childish curiosity, Lucas wiggled his shoe. "Are there any prescriptions I need to take?"

"None that I know of." Mystified, the doctor clicked her pen away. "We've never seen anything like this before. Your injuries must have been severe because of blood loss. Still...broken bones mending themselves in mere _days_...Remarkable. You must be blessed with fortuitous genetics."

Lucas tried not to look nervous. "I guess so."

In an instant, Claus had grabbed his hand. "Well, we'd better get going! Lots of homework to do," he added hurriedly, dragging his brother out of the examination room. "Thanks!"

Taken back by the speed of their departure, the doctor halted, picking up her fallen papers and stacking them in a neat clipboard. Shaking her head at the boys' antics, she rolled up the hospital computer and began typing.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ninten had always joked that between the two of them, Ness would probably live longer because he never bickered with a certain, red-headed demon.

But now, even Ninten was starting to succumb to worry. Ever since the fiasco in the cafeteria, Ness had closed himself off.

It was happening again.

So Ninten tried. He would tag along Ness's heels like a lost puppy. He would crack stupid attempts at punny humor to distract him, yank on the bill of his hat, whine obnoxiously at him, do _anything_ that would deter Ness from spiraling back into his brooding state. It was probably not the most subtle way to go about it, but if Ness was annoyed by his antics, he never said it. Even Lucas had done his best to accommodate them by not only listening, but also _talking_ more to pull the baseball captain out of his shell. While the two boys failed to do both, Ness did seem to relax more in their company.

On the other hand, although Claus was easily more sociable than his twin, he was often insensitive, brash, and nonchalant; he would constantly point out irregularities in Ness's behavior. The tension between them was as tangible as a rapidly surging tsunami.

A giant _mother-of-all arguments_ seemed inevitable; however, while Ness had refused to open up about whatever was bothering him, Claus had simply shrugged his behavior off. Ninten fervently hoped that the big blow out would never happen.

He got his wish. Monday rolled into Tuesday and Wednesday without a hitch.

Then came Thursday.

The bell finally rang for lunch, signaling the end of Physics, yet Dr. Andonuts remained unfazed by the rustle of students and zipping bags. "-and that concludes our unit on circular motion. Remember to turn in your homework on pages 103-104, #1-55 odd, to class tomorrow."

With a collective groan, the students filed out of the classroom, leaving Dr. Andonuts to retreat into his office.

"Ugh, I'm _dying_," Ninten moaned before slumping off the seat. "Kill me now."

"You say that about every class," Claus pointed out, nabbing his rucksack from his own desk. Ness and Lucas greeted them outside, having ended their last class in biology ten minutes earlier, then joined them down the crowded hallway.

Ninten continued to whine amidst the collective babble of other students. "But physics is hard!"

"That's cause you put hardly any effort into it."

"Easy for you and Ness to say, Nerd." Ninten crossed his arms in a huff. "Besides, how the heck is a required E&amp;M course supposed to help me become a lawyer?!"

"Well, what do you know? Some of us actually like to think with something called a_ brain_," Claus smirked.

"At least I have a 101.3% in Freshman English." Ninten countered, smirking back. "What do _you_ have?"

Shoulders slumping, Claus sulked. "That class is totally BS. Like red's just a stupid color but _no, _it actually represents _bloody love_ or whatever the fuck the author wants-"

"ENGLISH," Ninten emphasized hotly. "IS LIFE."

"Lay it off, you guys. I think that's enough bashing for one day," Lucas intervened, laughing at Ninten's offended expression. Claus forced Ninten in a headlock, making the shorter boy whine.

"What the-OWW! Claussss!"

"Ness..." Lucas faltered, watching him in concern. "What are you looking at?"

Startled, Ness snapped out of his brooding. "Huh? Oh, nothing..."

_"Suuure,"_ Claus drawled sarcastically, rolling his eyes before releasing a gasping Ninten from a hardcore noogie session. "Ness, face it. You've been eyeing every door like some madman's gonna to plow through in a murderous frenzy."

Ness laughed in feeble bravado. "No, I haven't-"

"You know, you're an even worse liar than Lucas. And that's saying _a lot_."

In response, Ness's face reddened. Claus squinted in suspicion, narrowing his eyes into slits, but to his credit, Ness didn't back down, shooting him a defiant look of his own.

For once, Claus was arguing with someone else. Ninten winced, feeling sympathy for his oldest friend. A ticked off Claus was not a force to be trifled with. "Ness, I hate to agree with him, but you've been acting odd for the past week," Ninten hesitantly chimed in, and Ness whipped around to stare at him. "What's going on?"

Ness stiffened, averting his eyes to punch in his locker combination. "I said, _nothing's wrong."_

"Cut the crap, Ness," Claus broke in. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms in a skeptical gaze. "Forget _odd;_ You've been acting _paranoid_. Geez, it's almost like you're waiting for someone to jump you or something-"

Ness tensed up. Ninten said nothing, looking vastly uncomfortable with where this was heading.

Luckily, Lucas was sharp enough to catch the warning signs. Catching onto Ness's discomfort, he immediately spoke up, trying to avert the crisis before it happened. "Lunch period's almost over. We can talk this out another-"

"No_."_ Claus narrowed his eyes. "We're gonna to talk this out _right now._"

_Claus! What are you doing?_

_Stay out of this, Lucas._

Ness slammed the locker with so much force that it rebounded off its hinges. His unsettling violet eyes seemed to glow dangerously. "Claus, leave me alone. It's nothing, okay?"

Claus gave a bitter laugh. "Well, it certainly doesn't look like a whole lot of _nothing. _Ness, it's not healthy to keep things bottled up. Talk it out-"

"Right. Because _you _did when Lucas got hit by the semi."

Blood roared in Claus's ears. _Oh, Hell no! He did not just go there-!_

_Calm down. Ness hasn't been himself lately, _his brother's voice whispered in his mind, trying to convince him. _Give him time._

Lucas had inadvertently fueled the fire.

Betrayal slapped Claus in the face. Of course, Lucas would choose his best friend over him. _Of course,_ Lucas would tell _him_ to calm down.

Jealousy, hot and prickling, seared through Claus's veins.

Slamming the mental walls down on his brother's voice, Claus fixed the baseball captain with his best batman-esque scowl that would have made even the manliest man cower and whimper for mommy. "Well, Ness,_ e__xcuse me_ if I was worried over my _brother's health-"_

"Look, I was just as worried about Lucas as _you_ were," Ness laughed darkly. "But I didn't act like a complete dick to my friends."

Claus froze.

Realizing the impact of his harsh words, Ness's eyes widened. "Oh shit, I didn't mean-"

"Oh, I think you meant plenty!" Claus spat, voice dripping with pure venom. He charged over, and Ness flinched, recoiling at the poisonous glare skewering his insides. "What the _hell_ is going on, Ness?!"

"I said I'm fine!"

"Fine, my_ ass!"_

"When I say that I'm fine, I'm _fine, _okay?!"

"That's it! Ness, if you say that you're fine one more _fucking_ time, I'm gonna-"

"Claus. Leave him alone," Lucas cut off in a quiet voice. "Ness will talk when he's ready."

Ness shot Lucas a silent look of gratitude, but it was lost by Claus's incredulous stare.

"When he's _ready?"_ Claus fixed his snarl on his brother, gripping him by the shoulders. "And when will _that_ be? Huh, Lucas? _Never?!"_

"Lay off him!" Ness snapped, shoving Claus off. "He's done nothing to you!"

"Lucas isn't an idiot; he _knows_ that something's up! He's just too nice to say so!" Claus expectantly rounded on him. "Don't you, Lucas?"

"I don't have to tell you everything I goddamn feel!" Ness threw him a pleading look. "Lucas, back me up here!"

Lucas shrank away from their forceful stares, suddenly finding himself in a very uncomfortable position. "Guys, leave me out of this," he tried weakly. "Let's work this out together-"

"If Ness stops being such a stubborn jackass and actually _tells_ us what's going on, then we wouldn't have had this problem in the first place!" Claus interrupted nastily. "LUCAS, TELL HIM!"

"Says the jackass himself," Ness countered, before turning to the blond with a kinder gaze. "Lucas, it's okay to say that you don't agree with him. Besides," He eyed Claus with equal loathing. "_Someone's _got to say it."

"I...I-I-" Lucas stammered.

"Lucas isn't going to side with _either_ of you, because _both_ of you are acting like complete dickheads!" Ninten snapped, marching in front of the poor blond and shoving both boys aside. The two set their furious glares onto him, but Ninten fiercely glowered back with equal intensity. "Grow up! Like, what are you, _three?!"_

Luckily, the bell rang in time as both boys opened their mouths to retort. Without another word, they whirled around, marching off into opposite directions.

"Thanks," Lucas said quietly.

Ninten's heart constricted into a painful knot.

What the hell just happened?

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ever since the big blow-up, Ness seemed to have reverted back to his social self. He would still ramble on about video games with a fiery passion enough to fill a twenty-page report. On the baseball field, he was still their encouraging, goodnatured captain who sent out quirky orders and witty jokes on the fly.

But Ninten wasn't fooled. He had known Ness longer than either of the twins, and caught onto subtle warning signs.

Any talk with Ness sounded terribly forced. Additionally, Ness never started conversations anymore, tending to brood silently until someone else addressed him, at which he would perk up and pull out his cheery facade.

If the twins had noticed anything, they didn't mention it. Claus, while never originally the type to dig around in someone else's personal matters, had refused to acknowledge the gap Ness had left behind in their friendship dynamic. Lucas, albeit observant, was incredibly shy of causing further confrontation between his two simmering friends.

Furthermore, what was even more troublesome, Lucas seemed to suffer from sudden bouts of weakness; any physical activity left him shaking and out of breath. But every time Ninten would point it out, the blond twin would only wave away his concerns, claiming that he was feeling much better. However, Ninten's worries were not alleviated whenever he saw Claus supporting his brother up the stairs.

Ninten didn't understand.

_Why was everyone trying to pretend that everything was fine?!_

By the looks of the empty hallway, Ness had already gone home for the day, and Lucas had left for choir rehearsal.

Ninten chewed his lip. "Did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"I don't know. Did you?"

"Claus, I'm being serious!" Ninten flailed his arms around. A hint of anxiety crept into his voice. "In all my years I've known Ness, he's never acted like _this! _This is almost as bad as fifth grade!"

Claus's face fell. His expression turned sour. "No kidding."

Surprised, Ninten closed his mouth. Fifteen seconds in, and Claus hadn't burst out into a heated rant.

That was new.

Claus gripped him by the shoulders. A hint of worry briefly flashed through his face before being swallowed up by the mask of indifference. "'Ten, I need to ask you a favor." Impenetrable blue eyes scrutinized his face. "I want you to talk to Ness and find out what the hell's bugging him."

"What?" Ninten squeaked. The last time he had tried to give a pep talk, it resulted in the loss of his dignity and a _very_ angry red-head. Ninten didn't want to even _think_ about the horrifying image of a furious Ness yielding a baseball bat. Ninten winced. Scratch that - it was still the lesser of the two evils.

But still, it was majorly unfair.

"Why do_ I_ have to talk to everyone?" Ninten cried, waving his arms. "I'm not the _school counselor!"_

"You've known Ness the longest."

"Claus, it's not that easy. We can't just go and share a _heart-to-heart-_"

Claus rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I'm not telling you to share sappy stories of unrequited love; I want you to check that the stupid prat's all right." Unperturbed by his reaction, Claus crossed his arms. "Swear you'll talk to him, or else, I'm convincing your mom not to buy Oreos for an entire _month_."

"Wh-what?" Ninten sputtered. "You can't do that!"

"Try me."

Ninten searched that smirking face for a smidget of mercy...and found none.

Darn it. Curse his love for Oreos.

Ninten huffed, turning away from Claus's still-smirking face. _That jerk._ "Talk about a low blow."

"Don't complain. You would've done it anyway," Claus continued in that infuriating tone, because _damn it, he was always right_. "Tell me when you find out what's been bothering him."

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Ninten muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "you sadist." But underneath the smirk, Ninten could tell that Claus was worried.

_Really_ worried.

Huh. Miracles did happen.

"Why can't you ask him yourself?" Ninten shot back, still rather miffed about the blackmail. Okay, so maybe he realized that he was stretching his whining a little too long, but seriously,_ what the fuck?_

Claus's expression darkened. "He's avoiding me."

"Oh." Ninten fidgeted uncomfortably. There was no point in denying it when Claus said it straight out. "Yeah, same." Ninten glanced at him. "Has he been avoiding Lucas too?"

"No, but I don't think he speaks much to him either." Claus didn't have to imagine Lucas's hurt expression every time Ness brushed him off. In fact, what _didn't_ stop Claus from marching over and punching the daylights out of him was that Ness was also helping Lucas re-adjust back to school.

It didn't make sense at all.

Claus gripped his head. "Why is Ness acting so _complicated?"_

"Join the club," Ninten said in a rare hint of sarcasm. He tilted his head, creasing his eyebrows in a frown. "Whatever's bothering him must be a big deal. I mean, he's been acting like this since Monday."

"I know," Claus said sourly. "I would've asked Lucas to talk to him, but I don't want to push him with his condition."

"What?" Ninten shouted, jumping back in alarm. Another catastrophe was the last thing they needed right now. "I thought that he was feeling better!"

"Oh, it's nothing serious," Claus grimaced. "Lucas gets exhausted quicker because the accident damaged his quadriceps. The doctor said that they'll heal once he gets used to walking again." Claus scowled, looking clearly unhappy. "I just wish he'd stop telling me he's fine when he's clearly not."

Sympathy entered Ninten's voice. He could relate very well. "Tell me about it."

To Ninten's surprise, Claus let loose a loud bark of laughter. "It's just his nature, I guess. Lucas never liked making me worry." Icy blue eyes glimmered, looking unnaturally soft. "Last night, he was nodding off, so I told him to sleep. Of course, he said that he could hold it out. Turns out, he fell asleep at the dinner table. Dad and I had to _drag_ him to bed before he dunked his face into his soup."

Ninten couldn't miss that wistful expression even if he tried. "...You missed him."

"I did." To his surprise, Claus didn't deny it. His voice softened. "To be honest...I still don't know what I would've done if he'd died that day." His throat sounded a little tight, but Ninten pretended not to notice with a nod. Without his cynical expression, Claus could pass for a startling replica of his younger brother.

They were twins after all.

"Well, you probably would've yelled a _lot,"_ Ninten joked, trying to uplift the morbid mood. His face quickly changed to that of utter terror. "Seriously, I thought you were going to _bite off_ my head in school that morning."

Claus at least had the gall to look guilty. "Oh, right. Sorry, Ninten, I wasn't thinking-"

"Dude, chillax," Ninten laughed. "I've already forgiven you."

However, the lighthearted response seemed to bother the stoic twin. Scrunching his shoulders together, Claus grimaced, looking uncomfortable.

"...But I was kind of acting like an asshole to all of you," Claus finally mumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. Ninten looked taken aback, but Claus only cocked an eyebrow, shooting him a challenging expression that dared him to argue otherwise.

Ninten didn't.

Underneath that mask of indifference, conflicted emotions escaped and flickered though his blue eyes. Claus had clearly known that both black-haired friends had been extremely patient with him for the past few weeks, especially during Lucas's absence. Now that the baseball captain was avoiding him like the plague, Ninten was the only friend he had left. Even if the Oreo-lover could get pretty annoying at times, Claus would hate to lose him too.

_I've taken Ninten for granted, _Claus realized.

Suddenly a flicker of movement abruptly caught his eye, and Claus swiveled around in time to spot Ninten grinning like an idiot.

"What are _you_ looking at?" Claus shot back. He realized that his emotions must have shown on his face, and instantly strove to correct it with with a sour scowl. But it didn't long for his cheeks to start burning, and from the way Ninten's stupid smirk was also growing, Claus could tell that his entire face was flushed the same tomato red as his hair.

_Goddamnit._

But Ninten only cracked an all-too-knowing smile. "You're welcome, Claus."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Flint was still out, diligently sowing crops before the chill of winter.

With nothing better to do, Claus spent the afternoon helping his dad slave away in the field. When Claus finally returned, sweating bullets under the unforgiving sun, he found the home horribly empty.

In an instant, Claus had whirled around, sprinting towards Sunshine Forest.

It didn't take him long to find his younger twin.

Claus didn't need their telepathic connection to know that Lucas was clearly upset. Boney sat beneath the shade, wagging his tail happily at his approach. Claus strode over and scratched the dog, who immediately responded with a loud whine.

Perched amidst the thick boughs of the apple tree, Lucas conjured a PK Love. The beautiful blue hexagons shimmered into the air before fading away.

To his own annoyance, Claus had trouble summoning PK Love. Whenever he tried, the spell either exploded uncontrollably in his face, or failed to work at all. For the past week, Lucas tried his best to help him out, but it was left with little success; Claus showed no signs of progress much to the elder twin's own frustration.

"Hey."

At his brother's approach, Lucas stopped, lowering his hand back to his side.

"Hey," he responded quietly.

"Look, I'm sorry for being a jerk to you today." Claus awkwardly thrust his hands in his pockets. "You know that I'm terrible at expressing my emotions...I'm just really worried about Ness, you know?"

"For the last time, it's okay, Claus. I figured you wouldn't have acted that way if you didn't care," Lucas said softly.

Taking this as a sign of forgiveness, Claus slipped his shoe onto a foothold. "I'm coming up."

In response, Lucas shifted over on the branch, and hoisted Claus up onto the branch. For a quiet moment, they leaned against each other, letting their emotions, hearts, and minds mingle in lazy contentment. Lucas hummed in satisfaction, and Claus felt his shoulder vibrate with the sound.

The telepathic communication only seemed to strengthen their bond. Claus invigorated Lucas's uncertainty with confident excitement and in turn felt a soothing wave of calm temper his fluctuating frustration.

Together, they were complete.

Lucas broke the peace with a small frown. "I'm worried too. I want to help Ness out, but if he won't talk, I don't want to read his mind without permission."

Claus grunted. "We can sense each other's minds when we "speak" anyways, so I'm pretty sure Ness would notice something if we tried." He shifted his gaze. "Besides, I don't think I'm ready to try this on anyone else. Imagine the horror. I don't want to hear Ninten rave about Oreos twenty-four seven."

With a rustle of leaves, Claus plucked an apple from the tree. After offering one to his twin, who shook his head to decline, Claus shrugged and took a bite. The crunchy fruit exploded in his mouth with a sweet, sour tang. "Well, I made him promise to corner Ness at some point. If he figures anything out, Ninten said he'll tell me."

"Ninten's a good friend." Lucas hesitated and threw him a side glance. "I heard that he got a week's worth of detention with Giygas."

Claus involuntarily spat out a mouthful of apple. "What?! That...That Oreo lovin' prat!" He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and Lucas wrinkled his nose. Ah yes, his brother, the neat-freak. "What for?"

"He stood up for your absence in class."

"Why doesn't this surprise me?" Claus grumbled, tossing the apple core onto the ground. "That kid's going to be the death of me."

"You sound just like dad." Lucas giggled, changing his voice to a gruff undertone. "_Claus is going to be the death of me_-"

Claus shoved him in a playful manner. "Goody two-shoes."

"Troublemaker," Lucas countered, making a face before jumping down from the apple tree. He staggered on his feet before standing upright to dust the dirt off his denim shorts. Even the smallest physical activity left him reeling for breath, but Lucas pretended not to notice the worried frown Claus threw at him. "Do you want to check our answers for physics? I don't know if I got question number 35 correct."

Claus groaned, throwing his hands up into the air. "Of course. You _had _to bring up homework."

"Oh, come on, Claus! Please?" Lucas tugged on his brother's dangling legs. "If we finish on time, dad could use an extra hand on the field-"

"Whatever."

"Whatever yourself," his brother responded with equal cheek.

Claus rolled his eyes, but complied, dropping down from the branch.

His thoughts thought back to his best friend. Clearly, Ninten had nothing to gain from his outburst in class, but had stood up for him anyway. Noble prick. Silently, Claus resolved to slap the Podunk teen upside the head for pulling off such a reckless stunt.

But even he couldn't deny the feeling of gratitude welling up inside his chest.

Realizing that Lucas was studying his blank face in concern, Claus switched to a smirk and seized his brother into a headlock.

"What are _you_ looking at?"

"Aaah! Stoppit, Claus!"

"Make me!"

However, it didn't take long for his brother's whining protests to quickly transform into laughter, and Claus's lips tilted into genuine curve.

Two smiles were so much better than one.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"...Stupid detention..."

In a foul mood, Ninten marched off to turn in the last of the extra homework Giygas had assigned him ages ago. At least it was finally Friday; thank the gods, Ninten was fervently grateful to see the end of the week. There had been too much drama, too much tension. Hopefully things cooled off over the weekend.

Shaking his head, Ninten approached his destination at a snail's pace slow rate. If he arrived late enough, then he wouldn't have to bump into Giygas. But the more time he killed, the more time he'd lose from afterschool baseball practice.

_Decisions, decisions._

Despite the fact that Ninten was literally _inching_ toward the classroom in small, baby steps, the teen quickly found himself standing outside the classroom. He could hear muffled voices from inside; someone was definitely there. Cautiously edging forward, Ninten slipped his papers into the taped manilla folder taped outside. Holding his breath, he quickly recoiled, keeping his eyes fixed on the silhouettes inside.

No one had noticed him.

Cheering silently in victory, Ninten punched a fist into the air.

"Well, what if I _QUIT?!"_

At the sudden voice, Ninten froze, catching his breath. When neither of the silhouettes turned in his direction, curiosity overwhelmed him, and he carefully lay an ear against the wooden door.

Someone began to tap their fingers against something hard; the wooden echo vibrated into his ears. "Keep your voice down. We are in school premises. Anyone could be listening."

"I was stupid to listen to you! Too stupid to realize that you were using me...," the voice cried out, slightly muffled through the thick wooden door. Oddly enough, it sounded vaguely familiar...

There was a short sigh. "We are merely useful to each other," it said quietly. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"I'm not spying for you anymore!" The shout was followed by the explosive tearing of paper. "You can't stop me! I'm _quitting!"_

Sounds of stomping reverberated louder, heading his way, but before Ninten could scoot back, the second voice rang out.

"Ness is quite the special boy."

A sharp intake of breath. Determined footsteps shuffled to an abrupt stop. "What...What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

There was dead silence. "You wouldn't_._" The voice was shaking. "You wouldn't _dare-_"

"-help myself? I have no other lead. In any case, I hope you don't mind if I take what I need."

"No. You can't. NOT HIM!"

There was a low rustling of papers before the second voice spoke. Ninten strained his ears; he could barely make out the conversation at all. "...Last week, I sensed a sudden shift of PSI..._a __very __powerful Awakening_...There's no doubt about it. Identify this source. Find this person, and _bring them to me._ You have one week, or else Ness might not be so lucky to escape a second time."

Ninten had heard enough. Loud footsteps pounded alarming close to the door, and out of sheer instinct, he dived out of the way, rolling against the floor to crouch amidst the shadows.

Not a moment too soon. A student emerged, his face a pasty color of fright, but quickly disappeared out of sight before Ninten could identify him. The lights dimmed, then another unidentifiable figure stepped into the hallway. The tall person paused; Ninten shivered as piercing eyes rested on his hiding place. But just as his neck began to prickle in unease, the mysterious man had already disappeared.

Slowly, Ninten stood up in a daze. Mulling over what he had heard, he stewed in a muddled jumble of confused thoughts.

_Wait, PSI...so does that mean Ness has psychokinetic powers?!_

Ninten shook his head in bewilderment. After all these years, he clearly did not know his friend as well as he had thought. Shaking his head, he quickly flashed back to the mysterious figure.

He shuddered.

_This man is hunting down PSI users in the school...he's searching for someone. Someone powerful. A student like us. _A horrible chill slithered down his spine. The unpleasant thought unnerved Ninten tremendously; with that warning in mind, he resolved to keep his guard up.

This man didn't play nice. This man didn't even play fair.

This man was a _threat._

But there had been something else that had unsettled him...something familiar about this stranger with unknown intentions. Ninten had recognized the heavy Romanian lilt in his tongue, the snappy reception, the cold charisma...

It hit him. Brown eyes widened.

Oh, he knew the culprit _very well._

Without thinking, Ninten leaped to his feet, desperately tearing off in the direction of the baseball field. Ignoring his screaming muscles and painfully-wheezing lungs, Ninten ran, feeling every jarring step pound on cracked marble. His panicked mind quickly kicked into overdrive, focusing solely on one thought, and one thought alone:

_I have to find Ness._

Because there had been no doubt about it.

The not-so-mysterious man had been his Calculus teacher.

* * *

**Author's Note:** **Hey guys!**

**Sorry for the delay. The past few weeks have been emotionally and mentally stressful for me. Along with my schoolwork starting to pace up, my boyfriend broke up with me over text on Valentine's Day. He gave no explanation, which was odd because we were like confidents to each other, someone I could trust. ****So anyways I guess you can call me that loser who got dumped on Valentine's Day.**

**I've gotten over it though. Life continues on whether or not something bad happens, and breaking down would only hurt me in the end. But my grades have been threatening to dip, so I've been busy with school work. It sounds ironic how this story is named "For The Power of Love," but just real world advice to all of you out there: If you ever happen to break up (it happens sometimes), DON'T BREAK UP OVER TEXT. I'm serious: this is probably the worst thing anyone (not just boys, I'm also looking at you too girls) can do. I know rejection might be awkward, and at the very least, painful, but at least be respectful to whomever you're dating and please spare the time to say it to their face.**

**To those of you not in a relationship yet, don't worry about it. You can laugh and scoff at my love-struck foolishness while it lasts. xD**

**Sorry for the long description of my personal life (haha I can hear all of you groaning about my long author's note), but this anecdote was something I wanted to share. Hopefully none of you will ever have to experience a similar misfortune.**

**Thank you so much for your support on this story. You don't know how much it means to me.**

**Insert appropriate disclaimer here.**


	8. Boy Meets Girl

There was no denying it.

The kidnapper was on the loose, and Ness was his next target.

**_Thud! Thud! Thud!_**

Footsteps wildly punched dirt at the same beat of his heart; his feet flew at a speed that put wind to shame. Bursting through the front doors, Ninten darted off towards the baseball field. He couldn't help but fear the worst; dreadful scenarios flashed through his head, each progressively worse than the last.

_What if Giygas went back on his word?_

_No...he couldn't have. Ness is at practice! There's no way someone would attack him in front of all those people! _

_But what if Ness never reached the field in the first place?_

Vivid images of Ness injured swam into his vision. Desperation fueled Ninten's speedy approach, skidding his feet around the corner and sprinting to the left. Much his relief, he caught sight of the tell-tale bleachers and lush green grass of the baseball field, and in a last burst of energy, completed the last lap into the stadium.

"NESS!"

The entire baseball team stared boggled-eyed at Ninten's dramatic entrance. To be honest, Ninten didn't blame them; he probably looked like a gross, sweaty mess, but his appearance was the last thing on his mind. Whipping his head around, he scanned the bleachers, the field, the sidewalk-

His blood ran cold.

Ness wasn't here.

"Where is he?!" Ninten demanded, rounding on the nearest pitcher.

Fuel looked quite baffled. "Who?"

"Ness!"

"He's out to pick up some balls," Claus drawled, walking towards them with a frown. "What's up with you?"

But Ninten had already whipped around, ready to charge towards the shed when Ness chose that time to appear. Almost walking into the shorter boy, a startled Ness stopped himself in time, dropping the heavy crate an inch away from his foot. "Who...?!"

To Ninten's own relief, Ness looked perfectly okay; a little shocked, but that was to be expected.

Luckily, the baseball captain seemed to have heard his ruckus earlier. Ness's eyes took in Ninten's dead-beat form, and before long, his lips curled into a boyish smirk. "Glad to know that you're still in shape for running, 'Ten. Go guard second base, I'll be with you in a mo."

Ninten hesitated, but knew that he was in no condition to argue. Besides, he was starting to attract more unwanted attention from his teammates, who were now eyeing him even more weirdly. So Ninten grudgingly snatched his baseball glove from the stands and stalked over to his position in the field, all the while feeling a queasy feeling in his stomach.

***THWACK!***

"Nice curveball there, Poo!" Ness called out, wiping the sweat from his eyes. Stepping closer, he carefully re-adjusted Fuel's bat. "You might want to aim a little lower though. We don't want to decapitate anyone this early in the game."

A horror-stricken look sprouted on Poo's face. "We decapitate players?"

"Only after breakfast," Ninten blurted out with a straight face before snorting into laughter. Ness rolled his eyes.

"Ignore him, Poo. I was just kidding."

"Oh." The Dalaamese martial arts expert looked extremely relieved. Not that Ninten understood; he would still run away screaming if Poo wielded as much as a blade of grass.

"10 MINUTE BREAK!" The coach suddenly yelled to Ninten's relief, hauling up a cooler of water bottles and chips onto the bleachers. Immediately the students dropped their equipment onto the ground, and gratefully rushed over to the stands.

Ness slapped a hand on Poo's back. "Your pitching's improved! For someone who's never played baseball until the beginning of this year, you really have talent, Poo!"

"Thank you, Captain." Poo bowed respectfully. "I will continue to work on my progress."

"You do that." Ness grinned. As Poo sauntered off, Ninten sidled over.

"Hello, Captain."

Ness rolled his eyes. "Ninten, stop trying to confuse him. You know he's not used to our customs."

"Yes, but of course, Captain." Ninten spoke in an extravagantly posh British accent, sniggering as he fiddled with his imaginary monocle. "Would you like me to bow to you as well, Captain? Oh, Captain, I would love to show you my utmost respe-"

"Shut it, 'Ten."

Ninten couldn't help but cackle with laughter despite his bottled-up worry, and Ness rolled his eyes again before plastering a silly grin onto his face. "I can't believe I have to deal with you for the next four years of my life." He tossed him a water bottle, which Ninten caught swiftly with a hand.

"Thanks."

"Sure thing."

Ninten chugged the drink down. In the blistering heat, the refreshing, ice-cold liquid was immensely satisfying as it ran down his achingly dry throat. Taking slower sips of water, the two close friends watched the rest of the team mingle together. From here, Ninten could spot Claus's fiery-red hair in the crowd as he talked with Nichol. Fuel was engaging the coach for further tips, and Lucas seemed to be shyly answering Poo's questions in the bleachers. Everyone was preoccupied with one thing or another.

It was the perfect opportunity to carry out a conversation unnoticed.

"Ness?"

"Yeah? What's wrong?" Ness caught the urgency in Ninten's voice, and frowned. A thin sheen of moisture dripped from his eyebrows as he held the cool, refreshing water bottle sweating in his hand. "Are you worried about our game next Saturday? The Onyx Hooks are a tough team but don't worry, your asthma shouldn't hinder you from-"

"It's not about baseball, Ness." Ninten dropped his facade and lowered his voice. "We need to talk."

Ness's face visibly closed off. "Look, I'm sorry that I argued with Claus, okay? But if you're going to ask me again about what happened last week, then drop it."

Ninten met his unrelenting gaze head-on. Quietly, he raised his right hand upwards, then snapped his fingers. "PK Powershield."

Ness froze as a tiny purple, holographic shield expanded on Ninten's palm. Ninten might've laughed at the dumbfounded look on his face if the situation had not been so serious.

"...You too?"

"Yeah, me too."

First shock, then horror flashed through Ness's face. "Ninten! What the hell are you doing?" Ness hissed in fear, leaping to his feet and flitting his gaze around. "Stop that before someone sees you!"

But he didn't have to worry; Ninten had already banished his shield, and no one seemed to have noticed their little display of magic.

"What?" Ninten huffed. "I'm only trying to prove a point-"

"Well, cut it out! You could've just told me," Ness whispered. Ninten caught something like fear flit into his panicked violet eyes before it disappeared. Ness and fear...those words didn't ring well together.

It only proved Ninten's worst suspicions.

"Ness, what happened to you last week?" Ninten lowered his voice in worry. He hadn't been able to talk to Ness in a while, and up close, he was shocked to see that Ness looked worse off than he had previously thought: dark bags surrounded his listless eyes, and the brooding look was back on his face. "Holy crap, you look awful! Did you even _sleep_?"

"Gee, thanks, Ninten," Ness said sarcastically, rubbing his eyes tiredly. But when Ninten shot him an unrelenting glare, Ness finally caved. "Okay, Claus was right...I was ambushed last week," Ness muttered quietly. His palms shook, but Ninten couldn't tell if it was out of anger or fear. Ness clenched his teeth. "I think Paula's been abducted too. No one's seen her around for two weeks, Ninten. **Two whole weeks**. I've been searching for some clues in the meantime, but so far, nothing." His hands curled tightly into fists. "You need to be more careful, 'Ten. Someone's out there, and they want us _badly_."

"Well, funny story," Ninten interrupted. "But I think I know who's behind all this."

Ness whipped around. "Who?" he demanded.

"Giygas."

Ness looked as if someone had slapped him upside the head with a frying pan. The dumbstruck boy continued to gape wordlessly, feet dissolving into jelly in sheer bewilderment. Ness heavily leaned against the metal wall, not trusting his wobbly legs to stand upright. His expression of shock quickly drained into that of utmost horror.

_Professor Giygas?_

Expecting such a response, Ninten scrunched his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable...

Laughter?

"G-G-Giygas?" Ness gasped, tears forming in his eyes. He started rolling over the dusty ground, engulfed by another onslaught of giggles; his side burned, splitting apart from laughter. Was it even possible for someone to die from laughter overload? "HAHAHA-Ow! Cramp, cramp, cramp-"

It also didn't help that Ninten was throwing him a perfectly deadpan look reminiscent of a certain redhead. "Yes. _Giygas,"_ he snapped, flushing slightly. "What's so funny?"

"Hahahahaaaa-! Oh wow, nice one, Ninten. You almost got me." Ness wiped a stray tear from his eye and grinned, cocking an eyebrow mischievously. "Is this because Giygas gave you _detention_? Gee, I never knew you were such a sourpuss-"

"I'M SERIOUS!" Ninten yelled in a loud voice that made Ness freeze on the ground, and up further in the field, Fuel blindly turned around in alarm. Abashed, Ninten quickly lowered his voice. "Listen, I just eavesdropped on him right after school..."

He proceeded to tell Ness the whole story. At the very end of Ninten's tale, Ness seemed to have sobered up from his laughter.

"That's certainly something…" Ness muttered, but if anything Ninten had said bothered him, he didn't show it.

"You're telling me!"

"First there's the blackmail, then a spy in our midst…" Ness crossed his arms with a frown. "And not only that, these people are kidnapping students who can use PSI. This gives me a bad feeling, 'Ten. A _really bad_ feeling."

"I know! It's fishy! Giygas is up to something! Admit it!"

"Ninten, I agree that something's definitely off, but I'm not sure if Giygas is up to something..." Ness grimaced. Skeptical violet eyes appraised him. "Think about it. You are essentially telling me that our Calculus teacher is an evil child-abductor-"

"Yeah."

"-who mass-produces an army of robots to kidnap people-"

"Go on."

"-and enjoys blackmailing students as much as subjecting them to the crushing failure of a math test."

"Okay, it sounds a little far-fetched when you say it like _that,"_ Ninten admitted. He stubbornly shook his head. "But you gotta believe me! I heard everything in his office!"

"But did you see his face?"

Ninten seized his hair in frustration. "It's him, Ness. I _know_ it is."

"But we can't do anything if we don't have any _proof,_" Ness said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. His face softened. "Look, I trust you, but until we have actual evidence, we can't take any drastic measures. Besides, Giygas hasn't been acting weird..."

Ninten conceded his point with a grunt. "...and speaking of people acting _weird,"_ he muttered, quoting the word with his fingers. "Can you _please_ tell me what your deal is with Pokey?"

"It's complicated."

Ninten caught the look on his face. "It's your powers, isn't it?"

"What do you mean_?"_

"Your PSI. It caused something. A rift. That's why you and Pokey aren't friends anymore. Right?" Ninten tapped his head. "'Cause that's what my sixth sense is telling me."

Ness understood too well. For some reason, Ninten had an unusual knack for guessing things correctly, an intuition that the Podunk boy claimed as his "sixth sense." Of course, to ruin the effect, Claus had always remarked that Ninten had a knack for spouting "nonsense." This often earned him a smack on the arm or a retort that Claus lacked "common sense," which usually ended up with Ness and Lucas trying to drag away a snarling ginger from mauling their grinning loony of a friend.

Shaking out of his thoughts, Ness grimaced. "...Yeah," he said, replaying an unpleasant memory in his head. "I accidentally read his mind in fifth grade, and Pokey freaked out. He's been bullying me ever since." Ness's gaze shifted to the field. "When he realized that he couldn't bother me, he's been set on bothering Lucas instead."

"I feel like he still cared for you though, or else he would've told everybody about your powers," Ninten pointed out, feeling sorry for him, but Ness quickly brushed it off.

"Maybe Pokey _does_ feel guilty about it now." Ness's face darkened. "But he has no right to frame Lucas for the loss of our friendship."

They watched the bobbing sea of baseball gloves before Ninten mustered the courage to speak. "Why didn't you tell us about your powers?" Ninten shifted his eyes. "I mean, you know, you can always trust us."

"I didn't want to tell you." The confident air completely drained out of Ness's features. He took a shaky breath. "I'm a freakshow. I don't care if other people thought that way, but I don't want to lose any more people I trust." Ness laughed when Ninten stayed silent. "After I was attacked...well, it kind of forced me to remember the risks. I couldn't hang out with you guys. There was too much at stake. I tried to push you all away. I'm an idiot."

"Yeah, you are. Did you know how worried we were about you?!" Ness flinched, but Ninten's voice was anything but angry. In fact, Ninten had cocked his head, his trademark vampire grin spreading across his face. Boyish mischief danced in his brown eyes. "Ah well, even idiots need someone to trust. We good now?"

"Yeah. We're good." Ness flashed him a grateful look before scrunching his features into a frown. "Wait, then why didn't _you_ ever tell me about your powers?"

"Oh." Ninten crossed his fingers. "Guilty as charged."

Ness's eyes filled with a purple fire. "You've got to be kidding me. We'd never judge you for that."

"Says the pot calling the kettle black."

"Touche."

They exchanged identical smirks.

Ness sighed. The brooding look was back. "We can't let Lucas and Claus in this. I mean, they don't even know what PSI _is."_

Ninten winced. "We could fill them in later. Or maybe not. Just not now." His eyes flickered over to the elder twin, who was currently smirking at whatever joke Fuel had cracked, and then to Lucas, who was shoving them with a flustered expression. "I don't want to drag them into any danger because of us."

Ness followed Ninten's gaze onto the laughing twins, and his features hardened in grim determination. "Right. We need to find this powerful PSI user _fast_ before anyone else goes missing."

_I can't afford to lose another friend to PSI. Not again._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"...and yeah, I can't believe we argued over something so stupid."

Claus blinked in disbelief. "You're joking, Ness. I thought you were mad at me!"

Ness snapped his head up in shock. "What? I thought _you_ were mad at _me_!"

Both boys exchanged incredulous looks before dissolving into genuine grins. Reaching out, they shook each other's hand firmly.

"Nice to have you back, Claus," Ness said sincerely.

Claus waved a hand. "I never left in the first place," he smirked, a hint of mischief roiling in his blue eyes.

"See, I told you a little time was all we needed!" Ninten spread his arms with a gleeful yell. "GROUP HUG!"

As excited as Ninten looked over the simple suggestion, Claus looked equally as put off. "Eh, how about..._No._"

_I think you're acting a little over the top,_ Ness rebuked.

_Am I? _Ninten glanced over to Lucas, who was looking slightly concerned for his sanity. _Oh. Oops_.

Ever since Ninten and Ness had teamed up, the two boys had been communicating through telepathy. Unfortunately, telepathy could only be used over short distances. This drawback severely limited their options.

However, with the threat of a spy hovering over their heads, neither of them could afford anybody from overhearing their conversations.

While Ness was still skeptical over Ninten's claims that Giygas was, quote-on-quote, "a child-abductor," he was wise enough to keep his guard up against the Calculus teacher. They took close tabs on Giygas as often as they could, watching for any signs of unusual activity, but the Calculus teacher was still just as snarky and cold as ever. To top this, they still had no clue who the spy was, much less who was behind it all.

Along with their secret mission came another problem: they had to avoid arousing suspicion in both Lucas and Claus as well. This was proving to be quite the dilemma: The twins were, if anything, far from dense, which was a shame because they offered sound advice. It was difficult enough to hide their PSI to begin with; hiding an entire secret mission without arousing suspicion seemed impossible...

...a fact that Ness quickly realized during their Creative Writing class.

"So, what's been bothering you the entire time?" Claus asked.

Ness tensed up; Ninten could tell by the way his mind froze.

Luckily, Ness showed no visible signs of faltering. "I think the weekend was all I needed," Ness responded smoothly. "Take a break from school, you know? I was feeling pretty stressed about the upcoming baseball game."

For several unnerving seconds, Lucas and Claus studied him. In sync, the twins blinked, then shared a skeptical look with each other. Then to Ness's sheer astonishment, both of them relaxed, seeming to accept this explanation.

The atmosphere shifted noticeably.

"Eh, it's no big deal. I feel kinda bad for exploding at you," Claus said, casually flicking his wrist. "Besides, you're right. The Onyx Hooks are the toughest team we're facing this year."

Ninten nearly felt his eyebrows fly off his head in astonishment. He couldn't believe that the twins were convinced.

"Wow. You're both taking this pretty well," Ninten said, surprised.

"Why not?" Claus spoke, lifting his head to stare at him. "It's not like you'd hide anything from us."

Oh, burn.

Ninten's heart plummeted. "I guess so," he mumbled.

_They know that something's up. _Ness suddenly said. _You can tell by the way Lucas is avoiding eye contact._

_What? _Ninten glanced at the blond, who was biting his lip and clearly fidgeting over something to say. Ninten rolled his eyes._ Ness, I think you're just paranoid. Lucas is probably worrying over something else._

_Maybe you're right. _Ness said grimly. _But I wouldn't underestimate them._

_Right. If they find out we were ever hiding this shit from them, Claus would fry us alive._

Ness internally winced. _Please._ _Don't remind me._

As if on cue, one of the twins spoke. "So..." Lucas trailed off nervously. He kept shooting Claus anxious side-glances, but the latter pretended not to notice, feigning a sudden interest for the classroom wall. Lucas turned his attention back to them, clearly trying to keep the conversation alive. "Uh...w-we were...I meant I-"

"We were wondering if you noticed that Paula's still missing," Claus broke in. He took over the conversation, eyeing both hatted boys with his icy Squint of Suspicion_._

_Hit that nail on the head. You were saying, Ninten?_

_Shut up, Ness. Hurry up and answer before Claus realizes we're stalling._

No need for the heads-up. Ness could literally _feel_ Claus's icy blue eyes burning holes into his skin.

Ness internally winced. "Y-Yeah," he squeaked. Embarrassed, Ness cleared his throat. "Yeah. I did."

He instantly regretted his answer when Lucas threw him a questioning look. Claus looked equally as confused. "Aren't you worried about her? It's been like a few weeks since she's showed up for class-"

"Seriously, guys?" Ness snapped. "Paula's not my girlfriend!"

"...We never said she was," Lucas said softly. He looked anxious. "But the the school confirmed that her kidnapping investigation was put on hold this morning, and you two had always seemed like pretty close friends..."

_Oh_.

Ness colored. "Sorry, Lucas," he muttered. "Yeah, I guess I'm pretty worried. I don't know what happened to her, and it's frustrating, because all I can do is hope that she's okay. I really hope she is."

Paula had been one of his closest childhood friends. Knowing that she was potentially in some kind of danger was just as bad as Tracy stuck in peril. The thought twisted Ness's stomach into unpleasant knots.

It didn't particularly help that Lucas looked sympathetic as well; causing Lucas worry was the last thing Ness had wanted to do.

_...I can't keep this up. Do something, Ninten._

Ninten snapped out of his daze._ Say what? Sorry, I got distracted. What happened?_

Composing himself, Ness rolled his eyes. "Gee, Ninten, I wonder who you're staring at," he said loudly, feeling an evil sort of satisfaction when Ninten responded by whipping his head around.

His shoe caught on the leg of his chair; losing his balance, Ninten toppled out of his seat in a noisy clatter. "NESS!"

"Can't blame him for noticing that you were zoned out for several minutes,_ lover boy_," Claus smirked, resting his head on his desk.

"Lover boy?" Ninten squeaked defiantly from the floor. "What-I...What are you talking about?"

Claus leaned forward smirking. "Three letters: A-N-A?"

Ninten flushed a perfect crimson.

Claus cackled at his embarrassment, and Lucas swatted at his arm for teasing.

"Um...Ninten?"

Ninten blanched. All the color drained from his cheeks in shock. Still sprawled on the floor, brown eyes caught sight of a petite pair of converses, and with a loud gulp, Ninten slowly lifted his head.

_Oh no. She's cute. _

With an expressionless look on her face, Ana extended her palm. She was wearing a pretty red petticoat today, Ninten noticed; the glossy coat was neatly tied at the back in an adorable bow. The warm attire only accentuated her kind features. "Thanks for the pencil," she said quietly. "I forgot to hand it back to you yesterday."

_It's got to be illegal for anyone to be that cute._

Mind on overdrive, Ninten blindly reached for her palm. "No problems. I mean, problem. Like, no problem. Do you still need it or...?"

"I brought my utensils today." Sky-blue eyes blinked once more before Ana discreetly placed a hand over her mouth. A faint pink blush blossomed on her cheeks. "I'm sorry; is this a bad time?"

Yes.

Snapping to attention, Ninten leaped to his feet, clutching the desk behind for support. "No!" Ninten blurted out, accidentally cracking the pencil lead against the desk. "N-Not at all!"

"Ah...well, I kind of wanted to ask if... if you...and I...because tomorrow...see you later." Ana rushed away, hiding her furiously blushing face in her hands.

Still in a daze, Ninten dropped back into his seat, then proceeded to slouch over his desk. "I'm such a loser."

"And cue the angst." Claus groaned, burying his own head into his hands. "Ninten, spare us the drama. I'm pretty sure everybody already knows. You two are so _obvious._"

"Am I really?" Ninten consulted the rest of them with his eyes. With an awkward half-shrug, Ness grimaced, then jerked his head down in a nod. On the other hand, Lucas blushed a faint pink, then averted his eyes to the desk.

"Have you boys decided on a topic for the Shakespeare project?" Miss Marshmallow interrupted, materializing at their side.

"Yes, miss. We have the outline written right here," Lucas said, his face still glowing a faint pink. As he showed her the neat slip of paper, she tore it from his hands, slipping on her reading glasses. After examining it with beady eyes, she set down the paper and threw them one suspicious glance before sweeping away.

"I swear that Miss Marshmallow's secretly a robot," Claus muttered, cautiously eyeing her back. "It's like she sees and hears _everything_ we say."

Ninten only sighed.

Claus's eyes flickered from his lovesick friend, then back to his respective crush. His eyes still locked on Ana, Claus frowned, resting his head on his hands. "Hey. Ninten. Maybe it's just me...but doesn't your _girlfriend _look a little off today?"

"Like _you're_ a fresh pansy yourself_._"

Claus looked outraged. "Who are you calling a fresh pansy?"

Ness ignored their bickering. "You know, she does seem a little preoccupied today. Wonder what's on her mind."

Curiously, Ninten looked up.

This time, he had a legitimate excuse to study his crush.

Swallowing hard, Ninten forced himself to look past her golden curls, her delicate blue eyes...then paused. For once, Claus was right; as quiet as she always was, Ana strangely did seem to radiate a more melancholy aura. He watched her whispering something under her breath to Poo, who in turn, frowned and muttered something back.

_Okay,_ Ninten admitted that he might've felt a _tad_ bit jealous, except that both of them were wearing extremely grave expressions as if someone's pet hamster had died.

He quickly dismissed it; Paula had been her best friend. Perhaps she was simply upset over her absence.

"You know...I heard that she's still open for the Halloween Dance tomorrow," Lucas piped up casually.

Ness's eyes lit up. "Yeah! This is your chance! Ask her out to the dance!"

Ninten shook his head despondently. "But she's been hanging around Poo a lot these days…," he mumbled, crestfallen. "I bet he wants to ask her too."

"Then what are you waiting for? Ask her to the dance before HE does, you prat!" Claus hissed, roughly shoving his shoulder.

"What?!" Ninten squeaked.

Ness grinned. "Claus has a point. Just ask her."

"I wish it were that easy. Ness, you make it sound like it's so simple, but it's not, okay? I mean, this isn't like you and Paula. You two've been close friends since, like, forever, but I've never really spoken to Ana!" Ninten looked at them, clutching his head in drowning despair. "I bet she doesn't know I even _exist,"_ he lamented, gesturing dramatically towards some unseen crowd.

Ness rolled his eyes. At least he knew where all that Shakespeare went.

_Uh, dramatic much?_

_Shut up, Ness. Like I don't see you eyeing Paula every chance you get._

There was an awkward pause before horrified realization hit Ninten. _Wait, Ness, I didn't mean to say-_

_No, it's okay. _Ness sounded quietly, although Ninten felt an undercurrent of pain briefly ripple through their mental contact_._ Friend or questionable romantic interest, Paula was undoubtedly someone close to Ness. Ness must feel absolutely horrible for her absence.

_Don't worry, Ness. We'll find her. _Ninten winced at how half-assed his attempt at comfort sounded, but he felt Ness's gratitude shift in his mind.

Then Claus ruined the heartfelt moment by smacking Ninten right in the face.

"OW! What the hey, Claus?" Ninten yelped, rubbing his sore cheek.

Claus only blinked, then responded with a deadpan expression. "It was long overdue."

Ninten stared at him in confusion before throwing his hands up into the air. "...You know what, I'm not even going to ask…"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

As soon as Creative Writing ended, Ninten rushed over to Ana's locker, trying not to notice that three of his friends were currently sniggering and failing to hide completely out of his sight. Well, more like Ness and Claus; Lucas was mature enough to reason with them – except that Claus had ignored his younger brother and dragged him along for the ride.

_This is so stupid! Why am I so worked up over this? I'm just asking Ana to a platonic dance tomorrow for the Halloween Party. No intimate feelings attached. No big deal._

_..._

_..._

_...Actually, screw this. Damn right, this is a big deal._

He saw Ana approach; his face paled rapidly. His fingers started to sweat and shake. Swallowing down his nerves, Ninten shakily stepped forward, her name already in his lips. "Hey, A-"

Except he was beaten to the punch by another, unwelcome guest. "Ana."

"Oh! Hello, Poo." Ninten froze, then peered around the corner. Ana was standing with her back turned to him, oblivious to his presence. Poo approached her tentatively.

"Ah, it's a good thing I caught you. I was wondering if you were planning to attend the Celebration of Halloween Festivities?"

Ana gave a quiet giggle at Poo's phrasing. "The Halloween Dance? Yeah, I suppose so. Why do you ask?"

"Well...you see..." The Dalaam boy looked slightly nervous, a rather unusual trait for the normally well-composed, stoic boy. Suddenly, Poo shifted closer to her, and a brief flare of jealousy flashed through Ninten's heart, which was coupled with despair when Ana made no move to shrug the Dalaamese boy off.

Poo leaned in closer, lowering his voice into a mutter. Ninten inched forward and barely made out the last of his words. "...I want to talk to you. _In private_."

Ana sounded slightly surprised. "Sure."

Ninten felt his insides freeze. He couldn't stand to stay any longer. Swiveling around, he turned on his heel and stormed away, trying not to feel his wounded heart shattering to pieces. He gulped back the lump in his throat before striding to class, brushing aside the alarmed cries of his friends.

_Forget Poo. Forget Ana._

_Forget everything._

Because in that sinking moment, Ninten felt like the world's greatest loser.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus blearily opened his eyes. He lazily glanced at his bedside clock.

**3:15 AM**

He gave a exasperated groan, before rolling over onto his side. He and Lucas had slept a late trying to perfect their Halloween costumes for tomorrow. Claus would've flat-out refused to participate had Lucas not come up with such an intriguing idea.

But forget the costume; Claus wanted sleep. Perfect. Now he was going to feel both cranky AND sleepy in the morning. Stupid brain, waking him up in the middle of the night for no stupid reason-

A barely audible sniffle caught his ear.

Claus's eyes flew open. Now, he _definitely_ knew that he'd heard something. Quiet sobbing to his right only seemed to confirm his guess.

"...Lucas?"

The moonlight was bright enough for Claus to catch the tear tracks on his brother's face before Lucas caught his eye and hastily wiped them off with his pajama sleeves. "S-Sorry if I woke you up, Claus," the blond croaked. Mortified, Lucas turned to face the wall, stuffing his face into his pillow. "I-It's just a stupid nightmare..."

Claus wasn't fooled. Even though sinking back into bed was a tempting thought, he couldn't leave Lucas distressed alone. With a sigh, Claus made his way over and wrapped a comforting arm around his brother.

"Was it about mom?" he asked tentatively.

"No."

Claus's heart sank. _Oh. Then it was THAT dream. _He poked his brother. "Hey. It's okay, I'm here."

"I know," Lucas responded in a thick voice. There was only comforting silence as Claus rubbed reassuring circles on his brother's back, and eventually, he felt Lucas's panicked breathing ease. Lucas laughed, a strange sound of embarrassment and fear. Even through the darkness, Claus could tell that his twin was avoiding his eyes. "Sorry, this is so stupid-"

"It's not."

Claus met his eyes, and Lucas was able to read through the cracks; heart-crushing guilt welled in his older brother's eyes. "I'd be frightened too if you ever did something like that." Claus hesitated before pulling himself together. "I'm sorry, Lucas..."

Lucas gave another shaky laugh before cracking a weak smile. "You're such a dork, Claus. Don't be. You're still here." He gave a tired yawn and stretched out his arms. "It's kind of early in the morning. We should get some sleep."

"Yeah." Claus couldn't help but throw him a concerned look. "You're not feeling sick again, are you?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "I'm _fine_, Claus." Innocent blue eyes gazed at him. "You stayed, and it's all that matters. Stop beating yourself up over something that happened ages ago."

Claus snorted and slumped back into his own bed. "Okay, okay, sheesh. Just don't wet the bed crying for daddy-"

Lucas threw his pillow. It smacked Claus in the face before bouncing onto the floor. "You're insufferable."

"You're impossible."

"You're such a ginger."

"Racist much?"

Mischief sparkled in Lucas's eyes. "I don't have a vendetta against all gingers. Just against you."

The corners of Claus's lips curved upwards. "Whatever. Good night."

"Night."

But barely a minute passed before a meek voice shattered the silence of the night. "Um...Claus?"

"Yeah?"

"...Can you toss my pillow back?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Hey guys! **

**...Wow. I have to admit I'm a little stunned at the attention this story received after chapter 7. Now I actually have to write something meaningful! *Starts freaking out* **

**Sorry if this chapter seems a little Ninten-centric, but we should get more POVs. ****Also to reassure you: I'm never giving up on this story. I already have the plot and future chapters finished; organizing them is what takes time.**

**From now on, I'll try to address all reviews in person. It's about time I got around to writing back to y'all, but that doesn't mean I haven't read them though! If you wrote to me multiple times, I just squashed my responses together into one chunk (this makes me feel as if I'm a pen pal...). Here they are in chronological order (assuming that the Guest reviews came from different people):**

**Guest1: I know you probably might not see this, but thanks for your kind words! :)**

**SilverClaus: Oh, yes, I absolutely LOVE writing the tension between Ninten and Claus. Their bickering is so fun to write about! I had two friends like that in middle school, and their dialogue is kind of similar. xD And thank you! First this story was supposed to be more lighthearted and realistic, but then I was like "but PSI..." so I completely scrapped the first plot idea and remade another one (which I actually like better). But yes, I agree; compared to the third chapter, the first two chapters do seem a little shallow to me (oops). Thanks for pointing that out; I'll start modifying them a little. :)**

**Guest2: Here's the next update! :D**

**Starryskys102: Thanks! I hope this story meets your expectations! :)**

**JustMeHi: I really appreciate your support. :) Your eagerness rings out in each review, and it makes me smile every time. And yes, Mother fans ftw! Don't worry; I won't leave you hanging...maybe...[inserts cliffhangers in future chapters]. And yes, I love writing about Ninten too (he's unintentionally the comic relief most of the time).**

**FalconerET: Thank you so much for your praise. You flatter me; I have many friends who write way better than I do. Besides, what would I know about English; I'm just a science major! I just write for the heck of it! :D**

**IHJTMQ: I'm glad that you find this story awesome! I'm just hoping it continues to be not awful haha xD**

**Vayo: Thank you. :) It makes me happy when someone likes my work.**

**BlueRetroPenguin:** ...**This story makes you happy as well? *Starts running around and throws mini-party* Hooray I have made another person happy as a writer!**

**E.E.:**** Thank you for your heartfelt concern. :) Don't worry; I'm not letting something like failed romance drag me down! I'm a tough nut to crack, haha! Hmm...I have to say though, you have some very interesting predictions...But I'm not going to reveal anything! ;D It'll all come together in due time...Enjoy the thrill of the ride! **

**Guest3: Oooh, you have popcorn? I love buttered popcorn *Takes out popcorn from the microwave* (Sorry this is so random haha)**

**OXYD:**** I've never played Earthbound, but I've watched the walkthroughs on Youtube. xD I find it interesting that you mentioned Poo and Jeff...BECAUSE THEY DO MAKE AN APPEARANCE IN THIS CHAPTER (How did you guess?). And thanks for your consideration; but don't worry, I'm feeling a whole lot better now :) It'll take more than that to stop me!**

**Aloofkokiri: Don't worry, I will. :)**

**And that's that! Hats off for your patience (I bet a lot of you were like "Forget this" and went straight to the story haha), but seriously, your support is amazing. **

**Thank you.**

**[Insert appropriate disclaimer]**


	9. F-F-Fire!

Another nightmare troubled Lucas that night.

Blindly stumbling around in a cloud of hissing mist, Lucas felt his way through the cold, damp cave. Dew drops trickled down, leaving trails both cool and moist against his face.

Darkness.

"Hello?" Lucas said.

There was no response except for the clear, poignant drip of water from the stalactites. A figure blurred into the haze, and warily, Lucas peered into the gloom.

"Boney? Dad? ...Claus?"

_Boney? Dad? _His voice echoed back pathetically in response. The walls of the cave groaned and shuddered. ..._Claus_?

"Lucas."

He jolted at the familiar voice. "Mom?"

Hinawa lay sprawled on the rocky ground, her brown hair fanned underneath her prone form like a grisly curtain of dried blood. Coughing weakly, she reached out to him with a shaking hand.

"My s-son...I'm so sorry." Unshed tears sprung in her eyes. "I can no longer protect you from the danger that awaits you..."

Without second thought, Lucas sprinted forward, kneeling by her side. "Mom! Mom, no! Please! Don't die!"

Desperately, he hugged her, trying to instill some life into her limp form. But his hand felt nauseatingly sticky, and realized that warm blood had coated his fingers. In dismayed horror, he looked down at the gaping stab wound in his mother's chest. The sharp smell of warm blood began to suffocate him in nauseating droves, and shuddering, Lucas choked, gripping her hand tighter.

Soft, uneven footsteps echoed behind him. Lucas didn't have to turn around to know whose they were.

"Claus, help me."

When his brother gave no response, Lucas turned around. Claus met his gaze with unfocused eyes, then glanced back at his left leg stuck in a crevice. Gently laying his mother on her side, Lucas sprinted over, trying to support Claus's weight, but no matter how hard he tried he tugged, Claus's leg wouldn't budge free. The cave pulsated with ominous violet light as it began to rumble, rocks falling from the unstable ceiling.

The cave was about to collapse.

With a last-ditch effort, Claus shoved him away. "_Lucas,_ _r__un_. _Save yourself._"

"What about you?" Lucas cried. Claus didn't respond, still struggling with his stuck leg. "You'll die!"

"_You must make a choice_." Something touched his arm, and Lucas looked down. His mother's dead eyes were wide open, yet her lips managed to move of their own accord. Her grotesque, spindly fingers gripped his wrist, her sharp, crusty fingernails digging painfully into bone.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked fearfully. Claus looked almost inhuman in the eerie light. "What do I have to do?"

Claus faced him impassively. That dead stare sent a shiver down Lucas's spine: one of his eyes was its usual baby blue, but the other was bloody crimson. "..._You lose,_" he groaned horribly. Then with a draconian roar, the cave ceiling crumbled-

But not before something sharp impaled Claus through the chest.

Lucas screamed.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Hey. HEY! Wake up, sleepy head! We gotta go to school!"

Lucas's eyes snapped open at Claus's grinning face. "Finally! I've been trying to wake you up for the past ten minutes! Listen, we're out of eggs, so you need to tell me what you want for breakfast before dad wrecks the kitchen with his awful cooking."

Lucas could only stare at him in dumb shock. "...Claus...Y-Your eyes."

Claus frowned. "What about my eyes?"

"They're blue..."

"Uh...yeah..." Claus looked at him weirdly. "We're twins..." He noticed Lucas's sweaty face and shaking hands. "Lucas, are you feeling okay?" Lucas felt a familiar tendril of thought prod his mind inquisitively, and immediately hid his memories, sending a reassuring sentiment back to his brother in return. There was no need to make Claus worried over something so trivial.

"...Yeah. Just another nightmare," the blond mumbled before giving a weak smile, rising out of bed to change out of his pajamas.

Claus snorted before rolling his eyes, and retracted his mental probe from his brother's mind. "If you say so. I can't believe you're still worked up over nightmares!" Lucas scowled playfully and tried to push him away, but Claus nimbly jumped backwards out of his reach. "Ha! Too slow!"

"Claus!"

Giggling madly, Claus began to run down the stairs, only pausing midway to call out, "Hurry up, slowpoke, or dad's gonna get up there and hose you down! No joke!"

As Lucas listened to his brother's pitter-patter of footsteps fade, he tried not to succumb to the growing sense of dread in his stomach. _It's probably nothing_, Lucas reasoned, pretending not to worry about the contents of his nightmare as he tugged on a striped shirt and walked out of the room. _It's probably nothing at all..._

But that horrible feeling of despair lingered.

_Why do I still feel so uneasy?_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Here's the deal," Ness whispered to Ninten as they trudged off to their first class. "The Halloween Dance takes place at four in the afternoon."

"Okay...so?"

"It's a pretty big event, so I'm betting that most of the student body's going to show up. That's where we kick in. It's the best time to keep an eye out for our Mystery Person."

"I call the dance floor." Ninten tried to keep a straight face. "You, uh, you can check the classrooms. Yeah."

Ness wasn't fooled the slightest. "Ninten, that's not a good idea."

"What? Of course it's a good idea!"

_Don't lie. __You're going to end up stalking Poo and Ana if you check out the dance floor. _

_What! N-No, I'm not! _

Ness's forehead creased wit ha frown. "...Huh. I'm surprised. Poo doesn't sound like someone who'd start a relationship. And it's not like he's unpopular with the girls either. You've seen his fan club strutting behind him everywhere he goes."

"Yeah! He's not even that good looking!"

"Uh...that's not what I meant."

"Oh. What's your point?"

"...Nevermind." Ness lifted his bag. "I'm going to class. See you later, 'Ten."

As soon as Ness disappeared, Ninten closed his eyes in concentration. As if to compensate for his lack of offensive PSI, Ninten was gifted with unusual psychic sensitivity. For the past few years, he had noticed a subtle buzzing sensation gnawing on his mind, but had simply dismissed it as his PSI going haywire. But now, knowing that Ness could also use PSI, Ninten realized that he was actually picking up on the energy cores of other PSI users in the school.

...And if Ninten concentrated hard enough, he might _just _be able to track down that powerful, raw tingling sensation he had detected weeks ago. Without a doubt, he was clearly picking up on an unimaginably vast pool of psychokinetic energy.

"Come on, come on..." He scrunched his eyes shut, but it was in vain. The noisy babble in the background took a heavy toll on his focus. Great, he'd could never figure anything out at this rate.

"Hi, Ninten! Nice costume."

Recognizing the voice, Ninten instinctively plastered on his trademark vampire grin. He readjusted his cape and fake teeth.

"Thanks, Lucas." Surprised, Ninten surveyed the twins up close. Lucas was brimming with a quiet sort of excitement, while Claus looked, well...as bored as usual. "Did you two not dress up?"

"No," Claus said bluntly. "Dressing up's lame."

"Really? Lucas seemed pretty excited about working on it last week."

In response, Lucas shrugged. "The costumes took too much time to finish."

Ninten smirked. "Yeah, _right._ You don't have to lie to me, Lucas. I bet Claus was just being a surly prick-"

Claus snorted, then clapped a hand over his mouth. Expecting a retort, Ninten was surprised when Claus violently convulsed, looking like he was trying not to laugh.

It immediately sent Ninten on guard.

Claus was smiling. Claus was _smiling _for no reason. And whenever Claus was in a good mood, he either had blackmail, or somebody (namely Ninten) was about to get their ego crushed. "Uh, Claus...?"

Sulking sourly, Lucas harshly elbowed his brother in the ribs. _You idiot! Stop smiling!_

Claus frowned, then dropped his smile in favor of a pained grimace, as though he was dying very slowly. _How's this? I think it suits your charming persona very well._

_You suck at acting._

_I bet this expression is the first thing you see in the morning._

Lucas smacked his brother with a scowl. Fending him off with an arm, Claus burst out laughing and clutched his sides. As if triggering a chain reaction, Ninten couldn't help but crack up at the twins' weird facial expressions. Lucas and Claus were acting so out of character, it was hard to believe that they didn't switch bodies overnight.

_Wait. _Hold that thought.

"Did you guys dress up as each other?" Ninten blurted out.

The twins looked at each other.

They blinked once.

Twice.

Then "Lucas" whined. "Lucas, I told you not to give away our act so soon!"

"You smacked me on the arm! That was such a total give-away," "Claus" smirked.

Ninten grinned. "Clever trick, but you can't fool me. I've known you two long enough to know who's who," he noted, even realizing that the twins had even dyed their hair to cover their subtle differences. "But that's a pretty neat costume idea. Wait till Ness sees this!"

"I doubt Ness would be fooled," "Claus" said.

"Oh, you'd be surprised, Cl-Lucas," Ninten corrected, stuffing his math textbook into his bag. "Ness is so zoned out on prepping for our baseball game. I bet he's completely oblivious to everything around him."

"Lucas" rolled his eyes. "Ness would see through this right away, Ninten. There's _no_ way he's not going to notice...

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"...I can't believe he really hasn't noticed," "Claus" whispered in awe. Ninten had to remind himself that it was actually Lucas who had spoken. Dammit, this was actually starting to get confusing.

"Told you so," Ninten whispered back, gesturing at the oblivious baseball captain, who was muttering various pitching strategies under his breath. "Actually, let's leave him. It's kind of funny watching him go _subconscious hippie_ _mode_ before every game."

They watched him in mutual agreement.

Ness had a strong stubborn streak, a characteristic that served him well whenever he needed to put his mind to a task. But his _one-track_ mindset came with certain cons - namely, shutting out everything else around him.

With a grin, Ninten poked Ness's mind.

_Ness_, he thought loudly.

Ness didn't even notice his presence. ..._I need to train Poo to perfect that killer curveball, then double-check that we all have rides to the park...and oh yeah, Coach wanted me to pick up his ice cooler-_

Ninten stifled a snigger before retracting his mind. "Yep, he's completely out of it."

"You're kidding me." "Lucas" scowled down at the lunch table. Even though Ninten knew it was actually Claus, it was still bizarre to see that expression on "Lucas"'s face.

Perhaps it was what finally caught Ness's attention.

Noticing how Lucas was glaring at the table as if it had offended him in some way, Ness eyed his best friend with a strange look. "Are you okay?"

"Lucas" coughed. "Stomach ache," he grunted.

Seconds ticked past. Everyone stared at "Lucas" blankly.

_Lucas. Your cue._

"Claus"'s face blanched. "O-Oh, no! You're _dying!"_ he freaked out, grabbing his brother by the shoulder. "I think we need to take you to the nurse-"

Ninten snorted into his milk.

"Lay off! I'm not that overprotective," "Lucas" hissed under his breath, glaring daggers at his brother.

"I think he hit his head too!" "Claus" wailed, ignoring him. "We need to get you checked out at the hospital-"

"For explosive diarrhea," "Lucas" deadpanned.

Lucas gaped. _Claus, you didn't-_

_You asked for it._

Lucas's distraught expression was too much. Unable to keep it in, Ninten laughed out loud.

"Are you really sure you're okay, Lucas?" Ness started, watching him in concern. "If you ask me, you sound like you're high-"

"Noooo, no, he's not!" "Claus" blurted out, patting his brother on the back. "Lucas is just...tired! We slept really late last night, didn't we_, brother?_"

"Oh, yes. Yes, we did," "Lucas" smirked, stabbing his mashed broccoli. His voice dripped with playful sarcasm.

Narrowing his eyes, Ness turned his attention to the other twin. "Claus, are you about to blackmail someone?"

"Claus" blinked. "No. Why?"

"You sound like you're in a good mood today."

"I'm always in a good mood."

"I mean, you're usually a bit of a sourpuss-"

"WHAT? YOU TAKE THAT BACK, YOU MOTHE-MMmmmph!"

"I know," "Claus" grinned, covering his brother's mouth. "I'm a sourpuss and always will be!"

_...Lucas, next time, I'm waking you up with a bucket of ice water._

_What?! No fair!_

"Lucas" started to snicker into his palms.

Poor Ness looked absolutely gobsmacked. He raised his fork, jabbing it in their direction. "You guys are trolling me, aren't you? Both of you are freaking me out today."

"We are?" the twins chimed, curiously leaning over in sync.

"AHA!" Ness yelled, slamming his palms onto the table. A spark of realization entered his eyes. "Lucas, you-"

About time. They all held their breath for the inevitable conclusion...

"-have ketchup on your face."

The awkward silence that followed was almost tangible.

Ninten punctured it with a forced cough.

"Claus" at least tried to keep a straight face for the first five seconds. "'Scuse me," he managed to say before cracking up into uncontrollable bouts of laughter.

On the other hand, a frustrated "Lucas" banged his head onto the table. "Are you serious, Ness?!" Claus snapped loudly, lifting his head to gesture wildly at his brother. "We. Dressed. Up. As. Each. Other!"

Ness raised his hands in defense. "Hold it. I was just kidding."

"About time you noticed," Claus grumbled, plopping back into his seat. "If you _really_ couldn't tell us apart by now..."

"I wanted to see how long you two could last before Claus exploded," Ness explained, grinning. "How many people did you fool today?"

"Everyone except you two," Lucas admitted with a grin of his own before blowing away a strand of ginger hair from his face.

Ninten rubbed his head. There it was again, that strange, prickling sensation. It was growing stronger and stronger at the back of his mind...

_Ness, I think I'm picking up faint traces of __PSI. _As Ninten "spoke," his eyes darted around. That mental buzz still persisted in his mind, and it raised the hairs on his arms. _Whoever it is, the PSI user we're looking for is close. And I mean REALLY close._

There was a pause as Ness swept over the room with his own mental scan. _Now that you mention it, I think I can feel it too. It_ _could be anyone in this room._ Ness studied the large mass of people in the cafeteria. _Can __y__ou figure out the source? _

_I don't think I can. Not with all this noise._

"Man, this is awesome!" Claus continued with a cackle, flexing his hands. He didn't seem to notice Nabsence from the conversation. "I can do whatever mischief I want today, and NOT get into trouble!"

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "Don't you _dare_."

Claus stuck out his tongue. "Spoilsport."

"Lucas, stop bullying Claus," Ninten chimed in, trying to ignore the weird buzzing. He rubbed his head. _Quit it, _he told himself.

"Lucas" feigned hurt. "Yeah. Lucas, you're so mean-"

"Claus!"

"I feel like I'm seeing double," Ness groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't you two _ever_ pull this off again."

He missed the mischievous look the twins shared.

"We won't," Lucas and Claus chimed at the same time, identical smirks widening on their faces as they both crossed their fingers behind their backs.

The rest of school surprisingly passed without any trouble.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The Halloween Dance was just like any other high school dance: loud, awkward, and chaotic.

Most students grooved on the dance floor in a wild, almost possessed fervor - hair flipping, hand gestures, and whatever was the latest trend in punky. Others skulked around out on the sidelines. A few clusters of students socialized loudly around the perimeter. In short, everyone looked like they were having a blast.

That was, except for two people.

Ness dragged Ninten over, then set a hand on his shoulder. "I guess this is it, Ninten." Violet eyes appraised him, reflecting the multicolored lights of the disco ball. The gravity of their mission seemed to weigh heavily on their shoulders, and Ness could tell that Ninten was also feeling as nervous as he was. "I'm going to survey the school from the boy's bathroom. Sit here and hone in on that PSI trail."

"Easier said than done," Ninten grumbled, folding his arms. He gestured at the screaming mass of students and the obnoxiously loud pop music blaring from the speakers. "I don't think I can track anything in this infernal music." He looked confused. "And I thought _you_ were monitoring the dance floor?"

"You're better at tracking PSI than me. I don't think I'd have much luck if I stayed here." Ness looked sympathetic. "Sorry, Ninten."

"It's okay," Ninten said, heart leaping slightly. It _was_ okay. He probably sneak a glance or two at Ana. Maybe even hold a conversation with her. Poo had asked her out to a dance; he hadn't asked her out for a _date._ Realizing where he was, Ninten tried to mask his feelings, although Ness probably knew how he was feeling.

"And be careful. Lucas and Claus might be here."

"What?!" Ninten leaped to his feet. "I thought they weren't coming?"

"They said they _might_. Better safe than sorry."

Ninten groaned, slapping a hand onto his face. "I can't believe it."

This was probably the first time Ninten had found the presence of the twins unwelcome. If Lucas and Claus spotted them, that meant that Ninten couldn't concentrate on finding the PSI trail _while_ conversing with them at the same time. Ditching them would be out of the question too. It would only raise further complications Ninten did _not_ want to think about.

"You'd better watch out too, Ness," Ninten said, narrowing his eyes. "Teachers are patrolling, and Giygas is here too."

Ness chuckled, fingering the bill of his hat. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

Ninten watched as the crowd of people swallowed him up. Fidgeting in trepidation, Ninten took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

_It's showtime._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

**_Creak._**

Ness cracked open the squeaky door.

While Ninten's suspicion about Giygas might have seemed silly, Ness liked to keep an open mind. And keeping an open mind mean snooping around _here. _Giygas's classroom. He winced - if he was caught, Giygas would have his head for sure. He glanced at the security camera in the hallway.

Luckily, the surveillance cameras in the school had broken down since the beginning of the school year. Unable to replace them, the administration had left them alone. Another reason why the kidnappings had been so efficient.

A stroke of fortune graced him. The classroom wasn't locked. The janitor must have forgotten to lock the door.

Carefully scanning his surroundings, he slipped inside. Giygas's classroom was plain with a the usual storage cabinet, desk, and sea of student desk-chairs. There probably wasn't any incriminating evidence lying around, but Ness rummaged inside each desk-chair. He searched every nook and crannie. The storage cabinet was locked, but Ness knew that it only contained Calculus textbooks.

Ruling out the storage cabinet and the student desk-chairs, Ness crept up to Giygas's desk. Focusing his mind, he used telepathy to make out the shape of the objects inside each drawer.

The first contained an assortment of pens and pencils. Nothing suspicious.

The second had several jagged objects. From the feel of it, Ness deduced they were protractors, rulers, and some small pieces of chalk.

The third time, he struck gold. He opened his eyes. It was the bottom drawer. The contents hadn't tipped him off. From the looks of it, it felt like a sheet of paper. A sheet of _thick_ paper. But he could feel a humming buzz of energy radiating from the keyhole. PSI?

_Ninten_.

_Yo, what's up?_

_I'm searching Giygas's classroom._ Ness glanced at the door. Thankfully, no one seemed to be outside._ I don't think there's anything suspicious here, but the very bottom drawer of his desk is sealed with PSI. _

_What?! _Ninten sounded in confusion. _That makes no sense! _A pause. _Try unlocking it with your own PSI._

Ness hovered one hand over the lock, and closed his eyes in concentration. The lock shuddered, but the drawer refused to open. _I__ can't. I think the lock only opens to a certain PSI signature. __D'you want to come over here and try it out?_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_...Ninten?_

But Ness heard no response except static.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"...Where are they?" Claus said, squinting into the boggling mass of students.

The twins had arrived late to the dance.

Flint had needed additional help on the farm. By the time they had finished, the brothers had been covered head-to-toe in dirt and sweat. To their disappointment, they had to shower, which meant washing away not only the dust, but also the hair dye they had carefully applied the day before.

Claus irritably flicked at his now-ginger hair. But the excitement present in the packed dance floor brightened his sour mood. As the catchy beat intensified, Claus seemed to feed off of the rising energy in the room.

On the other hand, Lucas looked uncomfortable. He winced as his poor eardrums were assaulted with rapid-fire sixteenth notes. Being stuffed inside a crowded gym was not exactly his cup of tea. "Ness and Ninten might not be here yet."

"Well, they'd better come. Ninten still owes me $5.00 for buying him lemonade."

"Now that you mention it, I'm feeling a bit thirsty..."

"There's the vending machine."

"Where's the water fountain?"

Claus snorted. "The water fountain? That stuff's gross."

Lucas shrugged as they walked out of the noisy gym. The school corridor was eerily silent in comparison. "I didn't bring money."

"I have money-"

"I'm not spending your money. You're saving up for the new Brawl game." Lucas pressed the button on the water fountain with his thumb, then bent over to quench his thirst.

Suddenly feeling cheeky, Claus leaned against the wallm. "Well, who needs video games when you can use _real powers?"_

Lucas almost spat out his water. He coughed, clutching his chest. "Claus!"

Claus only cracked a smirk. "What? Afraid of...this?" He opened his right hand. Jagged bolts of electricity erupted from the tips of his fingers, gravitating towards the center of his hands. A crackling sphere of lightning nestled in his palms.

Lucas's eyes warily flickered to the side. "Put that down..."

Claus teasingly waved the crackling sphere in his face like an explosive soccerball. "Relax, Lucas. There's nobody here."

"Stop it, Claus. It's making me nervous."

Claus's palm began to glow. "Why?"

"Stop it!" Lucas scrabbled for his hands.

"Okay, I will! Don't push me!" Claus flustered, distracted by the reaction.

In that split second, Claus's concentration wavered. Lucas's hand accidentally brushed against stray a bolt of lightning, swatting it towards the bronze bell of the fire alarm. A flame blossomed with an ominous '_floom_.'

Then all hell broke loose.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ninten felt like a stalker as he scanned the crowd for suspicious figures.

For the umpteenth time that day, he tried to focus on his mission at hand. Faces and people blurred together as he tried to hone in on any trace of that powerful PSI. Fuel was jazzing it up on the sidelines, teasing Lloyd with a smirk. A nervous Pokey resurfaced from the dance floor before the crowd swallowed him up. For a second, Ninten swore he might have seen Ana and Poo standing together on the sparkling tiles, but they disappeared out of sight before he could take a closer look.

Detecting PSI was like trying to select for a certain radio frequency.

And the noise here was ridiculously loud.

To make things worse, if Ninten stayed too long in one place, the odds of a random classmate stopping by to chat only increased. No thank you. More distractions were the last thing he needed.

So far, he was disappointed. Ninten couldn't detect anything. Downtrodden by his failure, he decided to head back to the refreshment table and try isolating the PSI trace there.

Halfway across the gym he was stopped by an arm.

Ninten internally grimaced. It was bound to happen at some point anyway.

"Um...Excuse me, Ninten?"

Ninten turned around, surprised at who had just spoken to him. "Poo?"

The Dalaamese immigrant was standing alone. To Ninten's surprise, there was a look of worry on his face. "Have you seen Ana pass by?"

"Uh...no." Ninten raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Was I supposed to?"

"She left with another classmate whom I do not know well...This is not good." Poo swore something in his native tongue, stunning him - that was the first time Ninten had ever heard Poo curse. The usually composed boy seemed worried beyond his wits. "If you see her, can you let me know? Please?"

Without wasting another second, Poo strode away.

Ninten was beyond baffled. Despite his resentment towards Poo, he couldn't deny the inevitable; gut instinct told him that something was clearly wrong.

And if it involved Ana...

"Poo!" Ninten shoved through the crowd, ignoring the annoyed glares he received from his peers. "Wait up!"

_Ninten_.

_Yo, what's up? _Ninten answered back, eyeing Poo's retreating form as he followed.

_I'm searching Giygas's classroom. __I don't think there's anything suspicious here, but the very bottom drawer of his desk is sealed with PSI._

That revelation was the last thing Ninten had in mind. _What?! __That makes no sense! _He squinted around. Did he just lose track of Poo...? No, wait, he caught a flash of his braid at the entrance of the gym. Poo was entering the corridor. Ninten followed, twisting and ducking around flailing limbs and bodies. _Try unlocking it with your own PSI._

After a pause, Ness's voice rang out again. _I__ can't. I think the lock only opens to a certain PSI signature. D'you want to come over here and try it out?_

But before Ninten could respond, a hand roughly clamped onto his shoulder, startling him. In that split second, Poo vanished from sight, the double doors closing behind him.

"Ninten. Shoving people out of the way and running inside the school halls...Your lack of consideration never fails to astound me."

"I'm sorry!" Ninten scowled, roughly shaking off the hand in distaste. "I'll do another detention, whatever! Just not right now, I got to go-"

"Got to go?" Giygas raised an eyebrow. A weird distortion of rainbow flashed across his face; the disco lights had just washed over them. "You have no disregard for school rules. Would you like me to call your parents for your misconduct?"

Ninten could hear Ness's worried thoughts poking at his head, but he couldn't answer back with the professor so close by. A blank face was a tell-tale sign of telepathy, and if Giygas was a PSI user too, he could definitely recognize it.

"No, sir," Ninten said stiffly.

His teacher's cold eyes studied him. Ninten felt goosebumps rise from his arms at the icy chill.

Giygas spoke. An odd tone colored his voice. "You know PSI..."

Ninten's blood froze. "I-I have no idea what you are talking about," he stammered, instinctively taking a step backwards.

With an unconvinced look, Giygas opened his mouth to say something that would have been memorable-

Had not the fire alarm gone off.

Giygas jerked his head up at the shrill ring. He stared at the blaring red lights in utter incomprehension. "What in the world...?"

Mass pandemonium broke out as students began to scream. The sprinklers activated, showering more confusion onto the already panicked crowd. Much to Ninten's relief, Giygas strode away to evacuate students outside in an orderly manner.

But squeezing past the students, Ninten made his way unnoticed towards Giygas's classroom. If this was an actual fire, he didn't have much time to waste. Fervently thanking the distraction, he kicked open the door and made his way to the teacher's desk. To his surprise, Ness wasn't here, but just as he reached that conclusion, he felt a familiar tendril of thought prod his mind.

_Ness?_

_Ninten!_ He exclaimed. _Where the heck are you? When I heard the fire alarm, __I thought something bad happened to you! _

_Sorry, it's a long story. I'll tell you later. Right now, I'm checking out that bottom drawer you mentioned._

_You WHAT? Ninten, forget it. There's a FREAKING FIRE in the school!_

_I know, airhead!_ Black tendrils of smoke floated into the room, and Ninten started to panic. _Ness, tell me how to open the drawer so I can __get the heck out of here!_

To his credit, Ness kept a cool head, and reacted calmly. _Place your right palm over the lock. Maybe your __PSI will do the rest. Nothing happened when I tried._

Ninten hovered his hand over the lock. His fingers shook, and he could see his hands perspiring profusely from the rising heat. After several seconds, he felt an energy pulse from the lock. Almost like a magnet, the pulse seemed to align his hands into a certain position. His right hand tingled with a sudden rush of power, then to his surprise, his palm glowed once before the lock unclasped. The drawer smoothly slid open, revealing a piece of paper. Well, that was anticlimactic.

_I unlocked it! _

_You did? _Ness sounded bewildered. _I thought the lock only reacts to a certain PSI signature!_

_Same. Oh well, I'm not complaining._ Ninten stuffed the document into his jacket. More smoke was pouring into the room from the corridor, and he coughed from the suffocating heat.

_Ninten!_

_I think the fire's blocking the door,_ Ninten responded weakly. This was bad, _really_ bad. An asthma attack was the last thing he needed right now. Flames were now licking the sides of the classroom, devouring the wall paper.

_The windows!_ Ness exclaimed._ They're unlocked!_

Ninten grunted in exertion as he slid the glass open. Without wasting a second, he threw himself over the window sill. Just in time too, because the classroom exploded into flames.

Ninten turned around to stare at the burning wreckage with a look of fascinated horror. Well, that could've gone badly.

Returning to his senses, a dazed Ninten sprinted toward the cluster of students gathered outside. Luckily, everybody seemed disoriented, and no one seemed to have noticed that he had been missing. He searched the crowd for a familiar baseball cap as teachers frantically ran a rollcall. _Ness, I'm outside. Where are you?_

_Uh..., _Ness paused. He sounded reluctant to answer. _I'm still inside the school. _

_...WHAT?! _It was Ninten's turn to shriek mentally. _What the hell are you still doing there? _

_Give me a minute. I just have to check something._

_What's so important? Ness?_

_..._

"Damn it!" Ninten swore. Ness was purposely ignoring him, or seriously injured. He fervently hoped it was the former. Instinctively raising his hand when his name was called out on the roster, Ninten stood in place, mind racing. In any case, the sprinklers had been activated, so the fire should probably not be much of a threat any more...but teachers were bound to notice Ness's absence at some point.

"I wonder what triggered the fire alarm?" Jeff pondered out loud next to him. He adjusted his glasses up, still dripping wet from the fire sprinklers.

"Probably a gas leak," Ninten suggested impatiently, craning his neck to look around.

"Highly doubtful as a systems check was conducted last week. The school was in perfect condition. By the way, where's Ness?" Jeff asked curiously. Ninten should've known better than to hope he wouldn't ask - Jeff had been pretty good childhood friends with Ness.

Seriously. Was anyone _not_ a childhood friend of Ness? Ness knew everybody. Or rather, everybody seemed to know Ness.

"I-I...I don't know," Ninten managed to say, internally praying that the stubborn idiot wasn't injured.

"Don't tell me he's still inside the school!" Jeff exclaimed, alarmed.

"Crap, Miss Marshmallow just called out Ness's name in roll call." Ninten blanched. His heart sank as he spotted the teacher swiveling her head with beady eyes.

"...Ness!" The woman barked. "Young man, please respond to your name!"

"PRESENT!" A voice loudly crowed from the back. Both Ninten and Jeff jumped in shock, then swiveled around to spot a sooty, but very-much-alive, Ness. "Hey guys!"

"Ness! You're pitch black and covered in soot, but you're all right!" Jeff said, clapping a relieved hand on his back. Next to him, Ninten relaxed.

"It'll take more than a fire to get rid of me," Ness said, still grinning. The ambulance and firetrucks began to pull up next to the school, their sirens wailing shrilly. In that second, Ness caught Ninten's eye in concern.

_Are you okay? That explosion looked nasty._

_I barely escaped, but I'm fine._ Ninten grinned, patting the document hidden in his jacket._ PK Healing does wonders._ Ness didn't look convinced, but Ninten's face hardened when he finally remembered why he was angry. _And don't you lecture me, Ness! W__hat the blazes...haha, blazes. I mean, ugh! What the blazes were you still doing inside the school?_

_Before the fire alarm rang, I sensed a major rush of PSI in the left corridor. _Ninten looked stunned, and Ness hurried forth._ I tried using telepathy, but with the students evacuating, I couldn't figure out who it was. But there was a giant scorch mark on the fire alarm bell. Someone used PSI - deliberately or accidentally - to set off the alarm. And that's not all, _He added to Ninten's exclamation of alarm. _Shortly afterwards, I felt several rapid pulses of PSI right outside the school. When I teleported there to check it out, it was too late, but there were fresh signs of a struggle..._

_A struggle? Do you think whoever was outside set off the alarm?_

_Not likely,_ Ness said grimly. _Their PSI signatures were different._

Ninten looked stunned. _Then why would anyone set off the fire alarm?_

_That's what I'd like to know._

_I've got nothing. __I was busy openning the drawer. _He shuddered. _Ness, Giygas knows! He knows that I'm psychic!_

_What?!_

Before Ninten could explain, a flash of red hair suddenly caught his eye. "Claus?!"

At his shout, Claus flinched before realizing who had spoken. "Oh. It's only you," he muttered, averting his eyes. Ness detected a slight tremor in his voice, but before he could ask on it, Lucas had flanked his brother's side.

With equally sooty hair, Lucas gave a weak excuse of a laugh. "I guess we won't be going to any more parties soon..."

Ness frowned. Was it just his imagination or did Claus look guilty? The twins did look a little shaken up. Then again, no one had expected a fire to obliterate their school.

"Glad to know that you guys made it out in one piece," Ness said sincerely.

"Likewise." Lucas stared at his shoes. "I just hope nobody was hurt," he said quietly. Oddly enough, Claus said nothing to reassure his brother, but stood glumly in silence.

Suddenly a huge commotion erupted in front of them. As sobbing parents took away their children home, the four boys noticed that the police rapidly engaged in a flurry of activity, questioning the teachers in serious tones. Several of the teens looked horrified. Some of the girls started to cry openly at the ruckus.

"W-What's going on?" Ness interrupted, eyes widening as the adults began pushing everyone outside. "Why are we doing roll call again?"

"You guys didn't hear?" Jeff's eyes widened. When the four of them shook their heads, Jeff grimly pushed up his glasses.

"Poo and Ana are missing."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_First Kumatora, then Paula, and now, Poo and Ana..._

Ninten played with his food, feeling queasy.

Luckily no one else was injured in the fire. It was too early to confirm, but Ness had confided his suspicions that Poo and Ana had not been killed by the fire. As if to prove his point, police dogs confirmed that the two students had made their way outside the school before the fire erupted, but from there, the police could find no sign of them. Ana and Poo had completely vanished without a trace. Now Ninten finally understood the anxiety that Ness had felt when Paula went missing. Just thinking about Ana's shy smile made him want to throw up in worry.

But surprisingly, Poo's face haunted his mind the most. The Dalaamese boy had known something Ninten and Ness had not, and now, it was too late to ask him. Guilt pooled up inside Ninten. He might not have been as close to Poo as Ness had been, but the Dalaam boy had always been nothing but polite and kind to him. Even if Ninten hadn't been nice to him.

He wondered how Ness was handling the sudden loss of two childhood friends.

And as if the drama of the Halloween Dance wasn't enough to worry about, Ninten had another surprise in store. A surprise in the form of Electra.

_"Master Ken, your parents are here."_

_He ignored the maid._

_A second later, his mother rested a hand on the doorway. "Get dressed."_

_"Why?" Ninten flopped onto the bed, completely drained. His gut roiled at the thought of what had happened at the dance. All he wanted to do now was read the stolen document._

_"We're going to George's for dinner. I'm sure that Electra told you last week."_

_Ninten stared up at the ceiling. "I don't want to go."_

_In her carmine dress, Mimmie flounced past, giggling at Ninten's blank expression. "Ken never cares about anything except for Oreos, mum."_

_"Shut up," he scowled back._

_"Who taught you that language?" his father suddenly said, stepping into the room. Ninten hastily sat up. __Mimmie stuck out her tongue behind her father's back, then pranced away to talk to her sister. "Don't take that attitude with your sisters. Dress."_

_"Fine," Ninten sulked, trudging over to his wardrobe. He heard his mother murmuring something under her breath. His father left._

_"Ken, dear..." His mother's expression softened. "I heard. Mary __Antoinette's little daughter went missing. She was a nice girl.__"_

_Closing his eyes, Ninten breathed in, counting to ten. "I didn't know her too well," he muttered._

_His mother crouched down. "Sometimes, I wonder if it was a good decision. Sending you off to that public school," she said, undoing and redoing the tie around his neck. "With all these kidnappings in one go..."_

_"It's the best public school in Onett, mom."_

_"The only one in Onett. Think about the private schools out of town. Nice academies, just like the one we enrolled your sisters in. A good boarding school. Your father holds Winters in high esteem-"_

_Buttoning the dress shirt on, Ninten tugged the tie down. The cuffs of his shirt swallowed his thin wrists. "I don't want to go to Winters," he said plaintively like a small child. "I like going to school here."_

_"You do?"_

_"Yeah." _

_She kissed his forehead. "Don't you look handsome."_

_Ninten cracked a sarcastic smile. "Of course I do."_

_"There's that million dollar smile." His mother ushered him out of the room. "Let's get going. Your father and sisters are waiting outside in the car."_

Hence, Ninten was stuck at the dinner table with a tight-collared shirt.

With a fucking _tie_.

Seriously, what was the occasion? Prom night?!

On the contrary, Ninten loved his great grandparents. Great-granddad George was light-hearted and loved punny humor. Ninten still had fond memories of his great-grandmother Maria, who had passed away when he had turned five. There were moments Ninten sorely missed her: everything from her warm hugs that promised safety, to her homemade chocolate chip cookies that melted in his mouth and generally made everything happier. Although she left a homemade recipe behind, the cookies never tasted as sweet after her absence.

He was brought back to earth when George abruptly spoke to his mother. "-have good news. Your brother is joining us for dinner today."

Ninten's father paused. "Ah. Charming fellow."

"...Huh," Ninten's mother said, tapping her fingers against the table. A hint of her heavy European accent shone through. "That's new."

"You don't say," his father said, looking visibly irritated.

Ninten snorted at the annoyed face his father was sporting, but at the same time, secretly wondered about his long-lost relative. Ninten didn't think he had never seen his uncle in person before. "I have an uncle?"

George was all to happy to explain. "Oh, yes, Ken. Your adoptive uncle was a fine lad. Raised him along with your mother there. Your grandparents were irresponsible folk who left her in our care." George nodded towards his mother, who was now rebuking Mimmie and Minnie for blowing bubbles in their drinks. "Ever since...well, since Maria died, your uncle's become withdrawn. We lost touch." George frowned. "Say, it's a pleasant surprise to know that he's dropping by. He has a wry sense of humor. I think you two will get along well."

The doorbell rang.

"Ah, that must be him! Ken, if you could...?"

"Sure." Ninten stood up, and walked over to the doorway. In one swift motion, he unlocked the chain and tugged on the bronze door handle. The door easily swung open, revealing an unexpected, but _very_ familiar face.

"Good evening, Ken," Giygas said.

Ninten paled.

Oh shit.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**HOLY APPLESAUCE! Lucas is confirmed for SSBB4! *Cries a river of happiNess***

**...Sorry. I couldn't resist adding a lame pun in commemoration. But tis a happy day! :') Now onto answering the reviews:**

**ApprenticeWriter: Thank you. :) I'm glad the first several chapters were able to grab your interest! Your honesty about not knowing what to expect is actually something I can relate to. Sometimes I end up judging a book by its cover (oops) but read it later only to be mindblown. It's a pleasant surprise.**

**OXYD: I guess Ninten's very upset, but I don't know about pissed. xD I think it's a little too strong of a word haha. And gee, I wonder where Paula is too... ;) We'll find out. She's a strong girl after all~ **

**Paula-Ana**: **Yeah, I don't know if it's for better or worse, but even though I started off with a lot of Claus, this particular part of the story focuses a lot on Ninten (for an important reason!). I'll try to make updates as steady as possible but...college.**

**Civetri**: **Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter! But**** I'm sorry to break your heart, Ninten! :( I swear there's a perfectly logical explanation behind this!**

**JustMeHi**: **Dude, don't be self-conscious! In fact, I am absolutely thrilled that you are so inquisitive! It puts me on my toes and makes sure I don't confuse readers. What I found interesting was that most of the answers to your questions are actually covered in future chapters. xD ****And no, you are not over-reviewing. :) I've had the same readers reply to every chapter in some of my stories, and I was never bothered; it is always a pleasure to write back! And sorry, to ****answer your questions (all of them are awesome!):**

**(1) Yes, The four had PSI from the beginning, but their PSI was awakened at different times. Ninten's PSI was awakened earliest, and I think this might be covered in a future chapter. Hope it clears some of your confusion. :)**

**(2) Starmen cannot detect telepathy. How the Starmen can detect PSI is present in a future chapter, so don't worry. :)**

**(3) Again, covered in this chapter and expanded on in future chapters. :) But to be clear: Yes, they should be able to sense each other, but none of them are experts yet. Lucas and Claus are still inexperienced (their PSI was most recently awakened). While Ninten has the most experience with PSI out of all of them, it still takes him a lot of concentration, and a noisy high school isn't the best place to focus on something outside of classes/friends. Ness is somewhat in the middle; he is not as sensitive to PSI as Ninten, but he has more experience than the twins.**

**Wow I realized that my word count is steadily increasing with every chapter. Oh dear.**

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	10. Passing Down Secrets

After George had excused himself to check on a pot of simmering gravy, Ninten's mother had risen to fetch the silverware. Minnie and Mimmie, after regarding their strange uncle curiously, had pitter-pattered off into the living room to play with their dolls.

Back in the dining room, their father looked like he had just swallowed an entire lemon. The defense attorney was stiffly drawing out conversation with the other intimidating presence in the dwelling. If it could even be called a conversation. Neither party barely said more than a few words.

With the air of someone being led to the gallows, Ninten swallowed a spoonful of mashed potatoes. The dry mush glued his tongue to the roof of his mouth. Clearing his throat to dislodge the stuck food, Ninten interrupted the stony atmosphere.

"Can someone pass the ketchup?"

To his surprise, his teacher - no wait, _Uncle - _had wordlessly handed him the condiment bottle. For a split second as Giygas slid the ketchup across the table top, their had eyes met, chilly blue against surprised amber-brown. Then Ninten broke eye-contact by coughing, then averted his gaze to the table.

"...Thanks," Ninten managed to mutter, squirting the ketchup noisily onto his plate. In response, Giygas gave a jerky nod before stiffly re-engaging his father about the woes of the stock market.

Ah, the joy of an awkward family dinner.

Ninten glued his eyes to the ketchup bottle. He was related, _related _to his supposedly evil Calculus teacher. Utterly unbelievable. Scratch that, the idea was _suffocating. _Escape was to be had.

Ninten glanced at around the table, gauging the level of tension. It had skyrocketed to _Cold War_. He considered making a dash for it, but after long thought, decided against it. It wasn't every day that your long lost uncle was a presumed evil mastermind. Perhaps something positive might actually come out of this experience.

Yeah, right.

So instead, Ninten entertained himself by imagining a flashing sign above Giygas's head: "Beware! Extremely Evil. Handle with Caution."

Fortunately, his mother emerged from the kitchen before he could think of anything stupid.

"Are you grilling my husband on failing college economics?" his mother asked wryly.

Turning around, Giygas lent her a soft smile. "No."

_Holy crap, he SMILED. _Ninten was sure a thousand babies died somewhere with that smile.

George sunk into his wooden chair. "You teach math at the local school?" When Giygas gave a jerky nod, George looked rather surprised. "I guess times do change. I don't recall you having much fondness for children."

"I can tolerate my students." Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "Your great grandnephew would know that well."

George's pupils dilated. "You two know each other?"

All eyes flew to Ninten's face.

Of course. Trust Giygas to put the pressure on _him._

Ninten tugged at his sweaty collar. "He's my Calculus teacher," he muttered sourly.

To his surprise, her mother broke her demeanor with a bright laugh. "No wonder. Gregory, did _you_ give my son detention?"

_Gregory? _

Giygas's smile quirked upwards. "Guess."

"No wonder I couldn't tell. You changed your name." His mom didn't sound too angry though (which was totally unfair), and Giygas looked slightly pleased with himself. Egotistical jerk.

Ninten noticed how everyone around the table relaxed.

So everyone was afraid of Giygas. Go figure.

"I changed my name shortly after our grandmother's passing if you remember, Carol."

"I don't remember," His mother said wryly. Her heavy European accent was back. "We haven't heard a word of you since."

Giygas grimaced and took a sip of hot tea.

Ninten silently agreed with the name-change. He tried hard to imagine it. _Professor Gregory_ didn't sound quite as intimidating as _Professor Giygas_. _Gregory_ didn't have that exotic _ring_ to it, the same mysterious tone of...despair. Besides, it just sounded plain wrong: calling Giygas "Gregory" was akin to calling a savage, man-eating wolf, "puppy."

"So what brings you here, son?" George asked. "You've never returned home since the day you left."

Ninten snapped up his head, studying his uncle with heightened curiosity. Giygas left, but didn't bother keeping in touch with either George or his sister.

Why?

Giygas ignored Ninten's sudden bout of interest, helping himself to another serving of stir-fried soy noodles. "My work demands much of my time. Apart from teaching, I run a research facility at the base of Holy Loly Mountain. A part-time job. I conduct _safe_ experiments that are relevant to the study of life. I hope you understand."

Ninten picked up the emphasized word with a wince. There was no doubt about the frigid edge to Giygas's voice, a strange bitterness that Ninten couldn't identify.

Clearly, there was history between the two.

And it was bad.

George looked vastly uncomfortable. He had paused with a hand over his napkin. "I...I suppose so."

"I'm glad," Giygas said pleasantly, even though he didn't sound very glad at all.

Ninten narrowed his eyes. "Drop the act, Giygas. What do you _really _do there?"

In an instant, Giygas's lips curled in amusement, and Ninten gritted his teeth. It was clear that his teacher didn't take him seriously. "Your interest is surprising. I didn't know that you had an investment in science. I was told that you wanted to study law-"

"Curiosity is not a sin."

"Very true, Ken," Giygas said softly. His eyebrows quirked upwards. "I can see why you would make an excellent lawyer." His uncle's eyes flickered over. "Careful, Carol. I'm afraid your son might sue me for liability."

His mother gave a dry smile, and Ninten scowled, shoving his hands under the dinner table.

Giygas took another slow draught of tea. "To answer your question, Ken, my current research centers around artificial intelligence. Can robots feel the same way as humans? Is it cognitively _possible__?_ These are the questions I try to answer on a daily basis. The drive might have to do with my avid interest in psychology." Giygas's mouth twitched slightly as if sharing a private joke. "The power of the human mind is amazing, is it not?"

Ninten abruptly stood up. He had had enough of this _pretending-to-be-nice_ bullshit. "May I be excused?"

His mother shot him a look. "Ken, that is no way to treat your uncle._"_

"I need to use the restroom," he lied, making up an excuse on the spot.

George seemed confused, but nodded. "Go ahead. Fourth door up from the stairs."

"Thanks." Ninten almost launched himself out of his seat. He avoided Giygas's burning eye contact, shooting up the stairs two at a time.

_Giygas is up to something, I know it! There's no way someone like him would come to an idle dinner like this-_

The last of his mother's voice petered into the background. "I'm sorry, Greg. Ken isn't usually this rude-"

Slamming the restroom door shut, Ninten slid down to the ground on trembling knees. He buried his head in his hands. _What's wrong with me? Giygas was at least trying to be civil...is it just me? Am I paranoid?_

_No._

_I need answers._

Flipping out his phone, Ninten paused, scrawling through his contacts. But who to call...?

He wanted to ask Ness. Heck, he even wished Lucas and Claus were here. All three of them would probably offer some constructive argument, and Ninten desperately needed that logic now, especially with his feelings scrambled in a mess.

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"I'M OCCUPIED!" Ninten snapped.

Giygas's amused voice filtered through the door. "You don't sound too occupied."

"YES, I AM."

With a sigh, Giygas opened the bathroom door. Ninten swore, jumping to his feet. Of course, it was unlocked. He _really _had a bad habit of leaving everything unlocked, didn't he?

"Stay back," Ninten warned, readying a sparking finger in his direction. "I don't know what trick you're trying to pull, but it's not going to fool me."

"I want to talk."

Ninten cursed under his breath. His knees were shaking so hard that Giygas could simply poke him in the shoulder, and Ninten was sure he'd keel over onto the floor without resistance.

He eyed the space between Giygas and the open doorway. _If I distract him long enough, maybe I could slip back downstairs..._

Giygas ignored his threat and walked closer. The man must've either been incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. "Ken."

_Here comes the interrogation-_

"Have you seen any _Starmen_ on the loose?"

"The..._huh?"_ Ninten's breath hitched in confusion. "I don't understand-"

"Starmen. Silver humanoid robots resistant to PSI." When Ninten continued to look blank, Giygas snapped, "And for heaven's sake, lower your arm before you blow the house up!"

"Why do _you_ want to know if I've seen any robots on the loose?" Ninten snapped back, clenching his other fist. He refused to lower his guard for even a second; the sparking finger stayed.

"I have my suspicions that these robots are kidnapping PSI users."

"Are you threatening me?" Ninten said quietly.

Giygas was visibly taken aback. With a slow blink, his teacher searched him with a cautious look. "You think that I'm behind this."

Ninten threw him a pointed glare. No, duh.

"Fitting, I suppose. My conduct towards you hasn't been particularly pleasant," Giygas said wryly.

_You think?_

Giygas snorted, and Ninten realized that he had been thinking out loud. "Fair enough. Have it your way. I will tell you the truth and only the truth, and you can do whatever you wish to make of it."

"It'd better be convincing," Ninten said warily.

Giygas ignored him. The sheer nerve of his egotistical...ness. Ninten wanted to punch the arrogant man in the jaw. "Recently, I've suffered from a theft."

"How unfortunate."

Either Giygas didn't register his sarcasm, or ignored him again. "Someone has stolen one of my research projects. _Project Starman_ to be precise. The project involves the installation of an upgraded sensor. This sensor can detect energy fluctuations in the surrounding environment within a certain radius."

Ninten hesitated. "Can the sensor detect...telepathy?"

Giygas's lips curled into a sneer. "No, it cannot. The sensors are _ENERGY_-sensitive, and thus, _CANNOT_ sense your mental activity. However, _USING PSI_ creates a disturbance, releasing energy into the environment. The sensor can detect this energy flow. And that is where my problem lies: someone has stolen these blueprints. I imagine that whomever it is has tweaked the _Starmen _to track down psychics with that very energy sensor."

His blood ran cold. Ninten lowered his arm. "Ness was attacked..." he said before he could catch himself.

"If any of your friends know PSI, then they are at high risk for capture."

"Is that what happened to Ana and Poo?"

"My answer is not definitive, but if I had to hazard a guess...yes. They have become the next victims of our alleged kidnapper."

"If you know, then why haven't you done anything to stop the attacks?!" Ninten spat, prodding his chest. "Where are they? Who's responsible?!"

Irritable, Giygas's eyes flashed a cool blue. "What do you think I've been doing for the past few months? It's difficult enough to conduct research with my job, and I have to stay undercover myself." To Ninten's astonishment, Giygas snapped his fingers. A holographic shimmer of cosmic black pentagons swam around the room before dissolving into obsidian sparks. "Your finger is smoking."

Ninten glanced at his finger. There was a charred hole in Giygas's shirt.

More importantly, the realization of the sudden intimacy registered. They were barely centimeters apart.

Hastily, Ninten stepped back. "Oops."

Straightening his back, Giygas gave a wry smile. "I suppose I deserved that."

Waiting for the expected _you-charred-my-shirt-how-horrible-blah-blah-blah _lecture, Ninten snapped his head up in shock. "...what."

"Yes."

"You're not going to chew me out?"

"No. It's implied. I'm not wasting my time." Catching Ninten's expression, Giygas raised an eyebrow. "If it makes you feel better, then think of it as leverage for the detention I gave you."

"Why are you acting so..." Ninten gestured at all of him. "Weird? You're acting weird. Like, _really_ weird for someone who's hated me since the start of school-"

"I don't hate you."

"No. Way." Ninten clapped both hands to his face in surprise. "That's right. You don't hate me. You hate _my guts!"_

Giygas frowned. A hint of annoyance entered his voice. "You are...mocking me."

"Oh, I'd never," Ninten said sarcastically.

Giygas shifted. His fingers tapped against his side in a confused, discordant tune. "I...I am not good with feelings. My feelings about you are especially complicated. Because I hate you. All of you."

"Gee, thanks," Ninten said, recalling all the dress code violations Giygas had assigned him for stupid reasons.

"Yet, I don't hate you, because you are family. That is..." Giygas's eyes flickered to him. "Disturbing."

Ninten snorted.

"I think...I wanted to push you beyond your limits." Giygas tapped a finger against his temple. "Don't misunderstand me. I was infuriated at the foolish jokes you cracked during my class. Those were a nuisance."

This time, Ninten couldn't help but give another snort. It wasn't because he was amused by his calculus teacher. Not at all.

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "All the other teachers adored you, so I wanted to be an obstacle. I wanted to be a challenge for you to overcome. Life is full of challenges. If you could endure my constant criticism without losing yourself, then I was sure that you could overcome anything." Giygas gave a bitter smile. "It is a..._strange_ way of showing affection. I apologize if you did not regard it as such."

Huh. Really now?

Cautiously, Ninten looked up, mustering his courage to search his uncle's face.

Giygas _looked_ the same. In fact, he looked just about as intimidating as ever. The man's cold, icy eyes fixed themselves onto his face. "...what are you doing?"

"Nothing," Ninten said defensively, dropping his eyes. But this time...there was something else. A different emotion replaced the cold apathy that dwelled in those blue irises. No one could ever fake that look.

Giygas was telling the truth. His _weird, antisocial uncle_ was telling the truth, in his_ weird, antisocial way_.

Guilt crushed Ninten like a bug. Great. Here he was, thinking that Giygas was some criminal mastermind, when all along, what he had pegged as "intimidating" and "unapproachable" had merely been a result of the man's social ineptitude. And inflated ego. Don't forget about that inflated ego.

Ninten had made a serious mistake.

But what now? Ninten wasn't comfortable with calling his Calculus teacher, _Uncle_. Not yet. "...I guess I was wrong," Ninten admitting, feeling the sting in his pride with a grimace. "I thought that you...you were the kidnapper."

Giygas spared him an amused blink. "Me? I'm flattered."

Instantly, Ninten scowled at him. "It's not a compliment!"

"On a happier note, while I have yet to identify the culprit, I believe I know their motive," Giygas said as if Ninten wasn't glaring daggers at him.

"You do?"

Giygas sounded irritated. "Of course I do. I know everything."

Ninten snorted. Of course, uncle or not, Giygas was an egotistical jerk.

So much for a normal dinner party. Ninten had learned a lot more the past hour than everything in school combined.

Giygas took out his cellphone. He scrawled down an exotic piece of text that Ninten couldn't decipher. "Bear with me for a brief history lesson. According to ancient legend, every one-hundred-and-fifty years, there existed a person blessed with an incredibly powerful PSI. Only this special person could use the fabled move, _PK Love."_ Giygas squinted into the screen. "_He with the power of true selflessness can instill life in death, peace in violence, and unity in separation. _A rather crude and exaggerated translation, I'm afraid."

"I think George might have told me a similar story when I was younger..." Ninten said slowly. "He said that PK Love was one of the strongest signature PSI moves in the world-"

"Ah, but according to legend, PK Love is not just _any_ offensive move. It is a psychic power that is unmatched by any other. Its strength is dependent on _both_ the brain _and_ heart. Thus, the bearer has a PSI core TWICE the size of any normal psychic."

"Huh." Ninten flashed back to the loud buzzing he had occasionally caught in school for the past few days. If the humming of _that_ PSI could drone out the others easily, then whoever it was held an enormous amount of energy in their arsenal. It was a scary thought. "You're joking. One person can't be that powerful."

Giygas's lips twisted into a smile. "It comes with a drawback. Unlike other PSI abilities, PK Love is arguably one of the most difficult to master, because of its incredible sensitivity to the user's emotional state. As obvious as it sounds, it makes sense. Love is the strongest motivational force in the world. Love of family, love of self, love for a cause...this deep desire is what allows the PK Love user to outstrip others in raw PSI."

Ninten shook his head in disbelief. "So you think our culprit is looking for someone who can use PK Love?"

"Correct."

"Is that why he's been kidnapping students from the school?"

"Or she," Giygas interrupted. "But yes, that is my guess. The culprit is kidnapping students who show any sign of PSI, hoping that one of them can use PK Love. If it's any consolation, I surmise that so far, none of the kidnapped students were able to use PK Love, and are therefore being kept as a safeguard. The culprit won't kill them in cold blood. It would only draw more attention than desired."

"Why high school students though?" Fear prickled Ninten's veins. "Are we easier to pick off?"

"Easier to pick off?" Giygas gave an amused blink. "I hope not. How much do you know about inheriting PSI?"

Ninten shook his head.

The corners of Giygas's lips quirked up. "Of course. I didn't expect you to know anything."

This resulted in giving Giygas another well-deserved scowl. Ninten was going to have to ration those. At any rate, he was sure to run out of his supply of scowls by the end of the day.

Giygas tapped his fingers. "PSI is inherited. Say, if your father had PSI, then you would be able to use it too. The question is whether or not you are able to awaken these powers on your own." Giygas's eyes shifted to the side. "I'm an odd case. As far as I know, I'm one of the only PSI users in my age group."

"Why?"

"Epidemic," Giygas said, but Ninten couldn't tell if he was really joking or not. "And as for the sudden rise of PSI during your generation...it's difficult to say." Giygas gave him a careful look. "Often times, latent PSI is more likely to be awakened in the presence of other awakened psychics. I imagine that over the years, several of your peers have managed to gain this power through close contact with you."

"Huh. Kind of makes sense...in a way. Then how do we catch the culprit?"

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "It is a dangerous task with a high risk of injury. I will handle it on my own. In the meantime, you will focus on your studies."

"Aw." Ninten bounced in place. "Please?"

"No."

"We can be a team. I can aim things really well-"

"No."

"Maybe I could-"

"No."

Ninten looked up stubbornly. "I want to help."

"Foolish child." Giygas threw him a nasty look. "I don't need help-"

As if on cue, George's voice hollered up the stairs. "Is everything all right up?!"

Bristling like a cat, Giygas whirled around. "We're _fine!"_ he snapped back. Exasperated, he opened the bathroom door. "Go. Let's return to the table before your great grandfather hounds after me with a pitchfork."

"All right." Ninten poked his arm. "But you owe me answers._"_

"Stop poking me."

"Boop."

"Why do you not listen?"

"It's fun poking you."

"Fun poking me?" Giygas frowned. A strange look flickered across his face. "You are insane. Don't prod the sleeping dragon in the eye. I would hate for great peril to befall you due to some foolishness on your part."

"Foolishness on _my_ part?" Ninten couldn't help but snort. "Says the person with an underground lab. I really think you should be telling yourself that, _Uncle_."

Giygas lurched to a sudden halt. Ninten nearly plowed right into his back.

"Giygas...?"

"You are stranger still, growing up." Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "Had she been alive...I wonder what she must have thought of you."

Ninten only stared back in confusion. "Who?"

"Maria."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The voice was not happy. The dreaded confirmation rasped through the headphones.

_"__Ness's life is still on the line." _

Pokey scrabbled at the keyboard in shock. "B-But this afternoon...The Halloween dance! I lured two of them into your ambush-"

_"Neither of the subjects can perform PK Love."_

"Well, th-that's not my problem!" Pokey jammed a finger against the screen. "You're lying to me! Always lying! _You_ do something about it!"

_"Did you forget that I have your little brother?"_

Pokey swore, slamming his palms against his computer. "You cheating bastard-" he managed to grit out.

_"Understand that this is a temporary safekeeping. If you cooperate, I will return him home. You have two more days." _The menacing glower forced Pokey to cower against his seat. "_So make the best of it."_

"Wait! I found someone else!" Pokey cried out before the screen fizzled out. "I still know someone else with PSI!"

"..._I'm listening._"

Despite his desperation, Pokey clenched in fingers. A sadistic glee tore through his blood. He could easily imagine his answer, the hated boy in his eyes. The stupid ginger cow lick. The infuriating smirk. The absolutely sickening-sweet way he hovered over his younger twin - god, that was enough for _anyone_ to throw up in disgust.

"This is for real. Pure and honest truth."

_"Tell me."_

"I saw him set off the fire alarm."

**_"Who is this student?"_**

Pokey smiled. "His name is Claus."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hello again after two weeks! :)**

**I guess some of you are wondering if I accidentally posted chapter 10 and 11. The chapter just had too much content to stomach, so I split it into two chapters.**** Plus if I only**** posted only half of the chapter, it'd end on a ridiculously stupid cliffhanger. I like drama, and I love cliffhangers as much as the next person, but stupid cut-offs are just...stupid. There we go. See, I can't even describe my intense frustration into _words-_**

**So I compromised and posted TWO chapters instead. That way, you can read at your own pace, and the story won't get abruptly cut off. Win-win for everyone. :)**

**...But wow. When I was r****eading your reactions to Chapter 9 in the reviews, I found it incredibly amusing how everyone flipped out when Giygas is revealed to be Ninten's uncle. It's also really funny because Giygas is technically Ninten's grandfather instead of his uncle, but the story flows better as is. I think Giygas would've blown his top by now if he was still teaching angsty teenage students Calculus until he turned like 80. xD Poor Giygas.**

**But I love creating plot twists! Mwahahaha...****Who knows what I'll do next? Maybe Miss Marshmallow is secretly Hinawa. Or Flint is Chuck Norris. Or Claus is going to get detention. Personally I'd bet on the second myself. ****Okay enough rambling and to your reviews (Chronological order as usual):**

**Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you like my story! On another note, I love my brain too (haha I do believe it comes in handy for studying for exams xD).**

**FalconerET: It's okay, I totally understand your frustration. Sometimes you know that the action/big reveal/angst is coming and you're like AHHH I WANT TO READ IT NOW...but then there's something called _plot_ that writers need to make. xD Don't worry, those boys are smart. They'll find out that they each have PSI...hopefully...eventually...maybe. And haha _perhaps_ Lucas's dreams are important...or they might be random fluff I decided to throw in. Who knows? :D And yes, I'm so EXCITED about SMASH 4! :'D Lucas is my main in Project M. Can't wait to try out that back air spike again; it looked beautiful in the trailer!**

**ConnorTheSpelingPro: Thanks! You know what, I _love_ being nitpicky. :) Nowadays I spend at least 48 hours+ on each chapter just to make sure I didn't forget anything, so I can totally relate (Man, I need a life). Personally, I think most of your issues were found in the earlier chapters (which I had already revamped because my writing style for some reason changed from drastically from last year's), but I'll try to be as clear as I can with the characters and who's speaking. :) I appreciate your input!**

**Cranky Sky: Thank you! :) I'm glad you like the Lucas-Claus interactions; for some reason, my writing ends up gravitating towards sibling-sibling fluff, friendship fluff, and/or painful angst. I think Claus is the hardest character for me to write though, because I don't want to make him a 100% sarcastic jerk (oops too late). He's certainly an interesting case. :)**

**NintenGirl9x: ...You guys are too nice to me...*Runs into corner and hides face* But I'm happy you like my chapters, even though I'm still an amateur writer. xD And yes, Giygas as Ninten's uncle has certainly complicated things beyond repair. In fact-*****Random person yanks me away before I can spoil the entire plot***

**KaguTheGreat: Thanks! You're right; the problem lies in bad timing. *Readers glare at me for causing unnecessary frustration* Sorry! The big realization will come soon, I promise! D: And yes, I can imagine how awkward dinner with Giygas is going to be...Ninten, BRACE YO SELF**

**OXYD: Trouble is coming, indeed. ;D LOTS of Trouble (with a capital T haha)**

**Guest: Hehehe my mind works in unpredictable ways...Anyways, I'm happy to hear that you thought that Chapter 9 was awesome! Action is always a nice break from all the angst, and I had so much fun writing that chapter. :) Funny enough, I got the idea of Lucas and Claus dressing up as each other based on what my friends actually did in school last year (and yes, they were twins): they swapped each other's jackets...And no one noticed. :( But I have heard of Ouran Highschool Host even though I don't know anime: two of my friends are die-hard fans. But to address your requests:**

**(1) An ordeal between Pokey and who? ;)**

**(2) Yes! Infact, I have already written several PK-filled battles (hooray more action), and each one will come at their respective plot points in time.**

**JustMeHi: No problem! And I'm sorry I scared you! D: That last chapter was rather brutal on the cliff-hangers. xD Yeah, Lucas seems to have an unusually large share of nightmares...which may or may not be addressed later. But seriously, I'm totally fine if you feel the urge to talk more. I found writing online intimidating when I first started Fanfiction, but the Mother fandom is generally very supportive. :) And definitely, I'll work hard on those future chapters! :D**

**A Polar Bear: Thanks! As one college student to another, I'll do my best to keep the story going. :)**

**[Insert appropriate Disclaimer here]**


	11. Resolve

"...I just don't understand, Ness," Ninten said, rubbing his eyes. "This makes no sense at all."

The two boys were hanging out by the left wing of the courtyard for recess. No one ever ventured this way. Ninten reopened the crumpled paper. Disjointed words and letters floated around in front of his eyes.

Ness leaned over. "Here, let me take a look."

Ninten shifted over the document they had filched from Giygas's desk (oddly enough, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for stealing his uncle's stuff). They read the cryptic note together:

_**Week of October 31st**_

_Command Input: 16111215225_

_For[161515, 1141;_

_10, 16:00]_

_Command Input: __16111215225_

_For[1461919;_

_108, 14:30]_

"Huh. I think it actually looks like a programming code of some sort," Ness said, scratching his head thoughtfully.

"...Of course!" Ninten greedily snatched the paper back. "What does it say?!"

Ness frowned. "The code matches nothing like I've ever seen before-" he said slowly.

_Crap._

"-and Claus takes computer science, not me, remember?"

_Double crap. _

"Right," Ninten said, heart sinking like a stone. Frustrated, He stared at the piece of paper. "I can't believe it. The _one_ time we have a computer code to crack, we can't consult our local robotics genius." He raised an eyebrow hopefully at Ness. "Well, we _could_ ask him-"

"No," Ness said flatly. "I'm not bringing Lucas and Claus into this. We're on our own."

"But it's just ONE code!"

"Ninten, what if it's not just _one_ code? What if it become a lot more than that? What if Lucas and Claus start asking _questions?"_ Ness croaked in a somewhat strangled voice. "They might get into some serious trouble because of us. Poo, Paula, and Ana were already targeted. I knew that Paula could use PSI, which means that both Poo and Ana must have been psychic too. Either that, or they knew too much. We can't lose anyone else. We just can't."

Ninten forced a laugh. "Well, maybe there's a way we could ask Claus without him knowing-"

"We don't have time for waiting. If the other side finds the _PK Love_ psychic first...!"

"Okay, I get it, Ness. So that plan's shot." Ninten shifted his feet. Anxiety forced him to switch to telepathy. _We have two more days until the blackmail deadline. You're next, Ness._

The threat of imminent danger only spurred Ness's determination. "We can do it. I know we can. Two days is still a lot of time."

Ninten stifled a smile. Few things in the world could stop a determined Ness.

Heaving a sigh, Ness paced around in a circle. "Okay, let's recap. We know _for sure _that our guy set off the fire alarm. Do we have any other leads?"

"Nope. I've tried searching for a match to that PSI signature you caught in your memories."

"And?"

"Your signal's distorted."

Ness frowned. "Distorted? Was the memory quality bad?"

"Not exactly." Ninten closed his eyes, then shook his head. "The signal you felt that day...I keep sensing it in two places at once."

"...That makes no sense."

"I know it doesn't! There's only _one_ person with PK Love! Not _two!_" Ninten rubbed his eyes. This PSI tracking was taking its serious toll on his energy. "This is ridiculous. _Everyone_ knows that every psychic has a different core-"

"A core?" Ness said, confused. "Like, apple core?"

"Well, yeah. The _core_. PSI core. You know, where you regenerate your powers? That humming thing in your mind?"

Ness got a sudden image of a robotic head filled with nuts and bolts. "Uh..."

To Ness's chagrin, Ninten snorted. Ness flushed - Ninten must have received his telepathic image. "Nevermind. Just know that you regenerate your powers from your _core_. And everyone has a different core. Kind of like a fingerprint. You can tell different psychics apart by their cores...their _powers._ So when I say I'm _trying_ to track our psychic down, that's what I'm checking for." Ninten suddenly snickered. "Wait so, when _you_ said you were trying to track our psychic down...were you reading everyone's minds?!_"_

Ness flushed a deeper red. Sheepishly, he scratched the back of his neck. "...I did at first, but I stopped. Felt bad about it," he admitted. "It feels wrong."

"You don't have to read everyone's mind to track them! That'd take forever, dummy. And psychics can tell whenever someone's touching their minds. Way to tip us off." Ninten slapped his own face. "God, you're hopeless. You don't know anything about PSI, do you?"

Embarrassed, Ness tried to change the topic. "Well, there's got to be a reason why you're detecting the same core in two places. Maybe someone accidentally cut their own PSI core in half-"

Ninten scoffed. "You can't destroy a PSI core. It takes a lot of energy to-"

"No, I meant _cut,_ not _destroy-"_

"You can't _cut_ or _destroy_ a PSI core. It's tied to your life force-"

"I'm giving you ideas, okay? I don't really know." Ness said, exasperated by Ninten's condescending tone. "Just...focus on honing in on both trails before Giygas does then."

Surprisingly, that wiped the irritation from the Ninten's face.

Uncomfortable, Ninten fidgeted in place. "Well, about that."

"Yeah...?" Ness said slowly, not liking where this conversation was heading.

"I think we were wrong about Giygas. I'm 99.9% sure that we've framed the wrong person."

_...I don't catch your drift,_ Ness finally stated, his eyes burning like fire._ Explain._

Ninten averted his eyes. _Maybe we've been looking in the wrong place. There's a lot of suspects other than Giygas. We should set our sights on someone else for once. Turn over a fresh leaf and-_

_Giygas sealed his desk with PSI, _Ness said flatly. _Innocent people don't seal random bits of code inside desk drawers with PSI._

_Well, maybe he doesn't want people to judge him for liking robotics! _Ninten snapped.

Ness halted, then narrowed his eyes. _Ninten, if Giygas can program robots, that's a pretty clear sign that he's behind this._ A concerned look._ What happened to you yesterday? You weren't all defensive over Giygas back at the Halloween Dance._

_I told you. I had dinner with George. End of Story._

_You're not telling me something-_

"You've got to be kidding me, Lucas!"

Both Ninten and Ness whirled around in surprise at the familiar outburst.

Nearby, Claus and Lucas had been conversing in harried tones. Both twins looked upset over something, and Claus had thrown up his arms up in disbelief. Lucas was trying to calm him down.

"I'm not saying that I _trust_ him," Lucas said. "But it's clear that he needs help-"

"Who needs help?" Ness asked curiously.

The twins jumped. Apparently, they hadn't realized that they had an audience.

Claus caved in with a scowl. "Pokey, that's who," he spat, jabbing a thumb at his brother. "I don't know why, but Lucas thinks that Pokey's in some sort of trouble-"

"I'm not saying that he is. I'm saying that he _might_ be-"

"Lucas, he literally barreled over and pinned you to the bathroom stall _five seconds ago_. I don't know what sob story he sold you, but considering you were about to be pummeled to death, I'm pretty sure that he's doing _fine_."

"He what?!" Ninten yelled. His face had turned a pallid shade of white. "Okay, Lucas, as much as Pokey's not a...ah, screw it. Who am I kidding? Pokey's a douche. I'm with Claus on this one."

Lucas looked uncomfortable. "I know it's hard to believe, but when he was talking to me-"

"-more like _shoved you against a wall __and tried to punch your face in_," Claus interrupted unsympathetically.

"He sounded like he was under a lot of pressure," Lucas finished, ignoring his brother's snide comment.

"He didn't sound like he was under a lot of pressure," Claus said stubbornly. He thought back to the slow, vengeful smirk Pokey had specifically thrown at him. _I know more than you think, _his small, piggy eyes had seemed to say. Whatever the reason, the malicious grin had chilled Claus to the bone.

Lucas furrowed his brows. "Claus."

"What? It's the truth!"

Ness stayed unusually silent. He carried the _look._ The look of someone who had more than just an inkling about Pokey's unpleasant family life.

"It's because of our stupid grudge," Ness said finally.

Lucas snapped his head up.

Ness didn't meet his eyes. "I know what you mean, Lucas. It's...it's not something we can ask him. Not now. I've tried, Lucas, believe me."

"It's okay, Ness. It's not your fault." Lucas's tone softened. He just sounded glad that someone had at least tried to listen. "We'll figure something out. Don't worry about it."

"But Pokey's still set on bullying you," Ness said stubbornly.

"It's my problem. I'll figure it out." Despite himself, Lucas cracked a genuine smile. "Pokey can't bother me."

Unsure of what to say, Ness decided on the playful route. He reached up to ruffle his hair, and Lucas ducked it with a whine. "Oh, not you too-!"

"Stay put!" With a grin, Ness grabbed Lucas's shoulder and whirled him around. "I'm messing up your hair."

"Ah, no-!"

As the two playfully romped around, Ninten's indignance faded at the sound of their infectious laughter. Shaking his head, Ninten watched their exchange with amused eyes. "They never argue with each other. Isn't that great?"

Claus's face turned sour. He didn't seem to think that it was great _at all._

Of course. With a knowing grin, Ninten elbowed him in the ribs. "Watch your back, Claus. I think someone might be out to steal your place as _Big Brother."_

Emitting a grunt, Claus yanked his younger brother back by the shirt. "If you lovebirds are done goofing off, we have to go to class."

Ness's good humor didn't seem to be affected at all by Claus's sarcastic remark. "Right-o, Claus. To Calc class we go!" Seizing his best friend by the arm, Ness ran off, dragging a laughing Lucas down the hallway.

There was an awkward silence.

"...What?" Claus said sullenly at Ninten's _trying-not-to-laugh-but-awfully-failing-to_ face.

Ninten poked him in the shoulder. "Someone's _jealous~_" he sang.

"Shut up, Ninten!" Claus snapped, striding after his two friends.

Ninten snorted in amusement and followed him into the classroom.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Giygas stalked into the classroom.

The din of chatter immediately ceased. Giygas's unnerving stare was enough to unsettle anyone. Dropping the _Calculus_ textbook onto his desk, Giygas jerked his head as if realizing where he was. His unfocused eyes surveyed the deathly silent room.

Ninten couldn't help but roll his eyes. Could this man be any more dramatic?

"Before we begin lecture with a simple problem-" The entire class groaned. Giygas's problems were anything _but_ simple. "Quiet!" Giygas snapped. He was clearly in a sour mood. "I am under mandatory advisement by the office to tell you foolish children not to wander off alone. Additional security measures will be added to the school. Of course, if you _still_ insist on disappearing, the school will be shut down for private investigation."

Despite the heavy situation, Ninten held back a snort. _Foolish_ _children? Insist on disappearing?_ Giygas was in a good mood today. Ninten stole a quick glimpse at his friends' reactions.

To his side, Lucas looked considerably wary, leaning away from the Calculus teacher. On the other hand, Claus wasn't even paying attention. He looked bored to the point of tears.

In his mind, Ninten could feel Ness's frustration simmering at the thought of more rules to follow.

Excited voices rose in volume.

"Enough!" he snapped. "That will not mean you are exempt from homework. We will be relocated into Twinkle Elementary. Homework and exams will resume as scheduled. If you have questions, please speak up now."

Giygas dared them to ask with icy eyes. Everyone was too scared to make a peep.

"Good." Giygas flicked his textbook open before facing the blackboard. "I will do a sample problem on the board. Turn to page 489, Question 3, in the Chapter 5 Review. Water fills a tank at a rate of-"

_Claus. _

The elder twin jerked up before recognizing his brother's voice. _Say w__hat?_

_Can I borrow your calculator?_ A ripple of embarrassment._ I can't solve Question 4 without it..._

Claus understood without asking. Giygas inscribed their daily homework on the blackboard. Lucas, as his stubbornly studious streak implied, would always take a crack at it during class.

In short, his younger twin was a nerd.

Claus rolled his eyes, handing over his calculator. _You know, I don't get why you start your homework in class. There's a reason it's called "homework," Lucas._

_You're just too lazy to lift your own pencil. _Lucas's half-attentive response came, along with the random feed of numbers blurring through his mind from whatever the hell question 4 was. _It doesn't take much time-_

_I know. _Claus smirked, leaning against his chair. _That's why I procrastinate. Why start on something in class when I can do it at home?_

_Not everyone is lucky to have your intuition for math and physics, Claus._

Claus's smirk widened. _Now you're making excuses. Who got that perfect score on our last exam?_

_But I did worse than you on the first one, _Lucas pointed out. _So you have the better average. I don't want to fall behind-_

_I don't think a 95% is considered "falling behind," Lucas._

_...Claus! _Lucas's warning rang in his head.

"-think I'll call on you, Claus," Giygas said.

It wasn't an unusual routine. Giygas picked on students to share the answers to the corresponding questions. If the answer was correct, Giygas would move onto the next problem, leaving his relieved victim alone. If the answer was incorrect...the poor soul should expect additional homework and a devastating blow to their ego.

To no one's surprise, Ninten was often the "poor soul." While he was clearly a bright student, Ninten loathed Calculus and struggled to grasp its concepts. This fact coupled along with Giygas's personal grudge made the poor boy an easy target. Fortunately, Ninten was never one to shrink back from a mistake, and took it all into cheerful stride.

On a usual day, Claus would have finished the sample question in a heartbeat.

That day, unfortunately, was not today.

_Crap. Lucas, help-_

_Forty-two, _Lucas whispered in his head.

"Forty-two," Claus said out loud, mentally thanking Lucas, who in turn, sounded guilty for distracting him.

Giygas shot Claus a sharp look. "Foolish child, where's your work?" he snapped, slapping his notebook on the podium.

There were several gasps in the background. Claus faltered, feeling Lucas's alarm prickle his mind.

_Since when had Giygas ever asked for work__?_

Claus quickly composed himself. "I didn't write my work down, but I can explain how I got my answer." Without skipping a beat, he explained the entire problem with ease, taking care to note all the miscellaneous information Giygas had snuck in. As he spoke, Claus felt the class's general respect for him rise; it was universally difficult to keep composure in the face of Giygas's intimidating scowl.

"-and calculating the variables, you end up with 42 m/s," Claus concluded.

Giygas appraised him with raised eyebrows. "And you are certain of your answer?"

"Yes."

Giygas's face suddenly turned emotionless. No one could read his expression. "Correct." The knot in Claus's stomach relaxed. "However-" Claus tensed up again. "This question is impossible without the aid of a calculator, and since you have no calculator on your desk..." Giygas's eyes turned as cold as arctic snow. "You cheated."

Appalled by the accusation, Claus sat up. "I didn't cheat-!"

Suddenly, Lucas raised his hand.

_Lucas, put your hand back down! _Claus shouted furiously, but his younger brother made no motion to put it down.

In the corner of his eyes, Claus caught several students whispering in fear. Ninten snapped a look in his direction. _What the heck is going on, Claus?_ he mouthed.

Giygas tapped his fingers against the podium. _One, two, three, four. _"Lucas, explain."

"It wasn't not his fault," Lucas said, firmly meeting his gaze. "I borrowed his calculator."

Dark pupils flickered back to Claus's face. Dropping his head, Claus tried hard not to wither from Giygas's gaze. "Is that so?"

Claus nodded.

Lucas now bore the full brunt of his Giygas's stare. "Why was his calculator on your desk?"

"I was working on your homework problems-"

"We are working on question three."

"I already finished question three, sir," Lucas said quietly. "I finish all the problems you assign in class-"

Giygas raised a hand, cutting him off. "Stop. I've heard enough." Giygas didn't look pleased. "You are a student. Why were you not paying attention in class?"

Lucas was petrified in fear. "I...I wasn't-"

"Are you arrogant enough to presume that you don't have to listen to my lecture like everyone else?"

"No! I meant-"

"Not paying attention...no wonder you were hit by a passing truck."

All the blood drained out of Lucas's face. The poor boy looked absolutely mortified, as if he wanted to sink into his chair and dissolve into nothing.

Unable to stand it any longer, Claus suddenly leaped to his feet. "You leave him alone!" he spat out angrily. "Lucas always did your homework in class, and you said you didn't' have a problem with it!"

By this point, the entire class was staring at the two twins like witnesses to a LIVE show. It wasn't unusual for Giygas to pressure a student, but in an unspoken consensus, rarely anyone dared to speak up against the teacher.

Things weren't going to end well.

"Detention, foolish child!" Giygas snapped. He smacked his wad of lecture notes against Claus's desk. It rang with a sharp echo. Flinching, Lucas threw Claus a frightened look. "It pains me to give my top student such a misdemeanor, but even the best should be expected to follow the rules. I hope detention will teach you to follow _standard classroom etiquette."_

Ninten raised his hand. "Giygas-"

Giygas pinched the bridge of his nose. _"What,_ Ken?"

"Give them another chance, please? They've never disrupted class before-"

"Sit down, foolish child. Favoritism has no place in the classroom."

Without a backwards glance, Giygas swept back to the podium. "Now, if you please, direct your attention to the diagram and write as follows..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

As soon as Calculus had ended, Lucas swiftly packed up his bag and darted out of the room, hiding his face. Claus, Ness, and Ninten all exchanged worried glances, but none of them had Art with him next class: Claus was headed to Computer Science, Ninten to Standard Freshman Writing, and Ness to History.

Throughout the entire lecture, Claus was impatiently tapping his fingers against the desk, already bored with the basic C++ terminology the teacher was reviewing. Worry for his brother tugged on his heartstrings, and automatically, he tried reaching out to Lucas's mind.

But to his sheer frustration, Claus found nothing but emptiness. The art gallery was located on the opposite wing of the computer labs: Lucas was out of telepathic range.

Drawn to that conclusion, Claus reluctantly ceased all attempts of contact, and fixed his gaze on clock. The hour hand couldn't move faster; When the last second painfully ticked to a halt, signaling the start of lunch, Claus wasted no time to tear across the hall. Lucas was in an incredibly vulnerable state right now; there was no knowing what Pokey would do if he bumped into his brother again.

Fortunately, Claus caught hold of his brother's mental signature in the men's rooms, and to his immense relief, Pokey was not there.

Unfortunately though...

"Lucas, get out of the bathroom stall."

"No."

His younger brother had retreated back into his quiet shell and refused to come out. Claus had been afraid of this.

The elder brother sighed, then rapped the bathroom stall door again. "Lucas, come out. Lunch period won't last forever."

"I'm fine, Claus. You go on without me. I'm not hungry," his muffled voice came. It was so quiet that Claus could barely hear it through the door. "Besides, I'll only cause you more trouble."

Claus leaned his head against the wall in frustration. This had been the first time Lucas had been called out in disapproval by a teacher, and it had given the blond a nasty shock.

Claus scowled at the obtrusive block of wood in his face. _Lucas, now you're just being childish._

_I can't believe I forgot my calculator to class,_ Lucas muttered. _I must have left it on the bedside cabinet last night. I'm such a dunce._

_It's only human to err, _Claus pointed out. _Compared to my track record of mistakes, Lucas, you forgetting your calculator is **nothing.** Look...I know I shouldn't have spoken up in class, but Giygas was plain bullying you over the accident. That was totally uncalled for-_

_No. I should've died and saved you the trouble-_

_LUCAS! _Claus felt his brother wince at his loud, mental bellow. _Don't you EVER say something like that!_

_Okay, sorry. I didn't mean it. _Guilt flowed from Lucas's mind. _ But I got you into trouble._

Claus rolled his eyes._ Lucas, for the last time, it's just detention. One detention isn't going to hurt anyone._

_But you've never had detention before..._

_Well, there's always a first time for everything. _Claus smirked. _Now get out of the stall before someone thinks I'm a perv for standing out here._

He felt his younger brother hesitate, but as Claus had expected, Lucas reluctantly unlocked the stall and shyly walked out with averted eyes. "I'm sorry-"

Claus wrestled him into a headlock, and Lucas yelped in shock.

"You, sir, are the most idiotic person I have ever known," Claus claimed, quirking an eyebrow. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Claaaaus," Lucas whined, wrenching himself free. "I can take care of myself-"

Smirking a little too widely than was healthy, Claus ruffled his hair again. "Oh, don't be silly, little brother. That's what I'm here for." He pushed his little brother towards the cafeteria. "Come on, the guys are waiting."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It didn't take long for the twins to spot their friends at an empty table.

Ninten and Ness seemed to be locked in an intense stare-down; the former averted his eyes to the table, and Ness tried to meet his eyes in increasing frustration. At Claus's approach, however, they jerked out of their respective postures.

"Finally!" Ness broke into a grin. Moody, Ninten returned to picking at his soggy Cafeteria food. "What took you guys so long?"

Lucas flushed in embarrassment and stared at his shoes, but Claus only rolled his eyes. "I left my stupid Comp Sci book in my locker," he responded, elbowing his twin in the side. "And Lucas was busy beating himself up again."

Lucas shyly ducked his head, and Ness laughed. "Don't worry, Lucas. Giygas was pretty mean to everyone today." He let out a low whistle. "I wonder why he's never been fired before..."

"No one's failed Calculus since he's started teaching," Ninten mumbled.

"I guess..." Claus sighed. Ness carefully eyed Ninten for a response, but the latter said nothing. "I can't believe he gave me detention though," Claus muttered, rubbing his head. "Talk about furious, he went completely off his rocker."

"Well, you'd be pretty pissed too if your job was on the line," Ninten snapped.

All three boys stared at him.

"Uh...what." Claus's eyes had flickered over to Ness, who had also quirked an eyebrow in surprise. "I think I heard you wrong. Ninten...did you just _defend_ Giygas?"

"No."

Claus squinted down at him. "Then what was all that?"

"All what?"

Claus scowled. "Stop playing dumb!"

"Did something happen, Ninten?" Lucas asked, studying him in concern. "Did Giygas bully you too?"

Ninten wanted to laugh. _If only that was the case..._

Something inquisitively poked his mind, and Ninten shoved it out. _Ness, sod off! _he snapped.

Great, as if things couldn't get worse, that annoying-as-hell buzzing sounded close by for the _fiftieth_ time this week-

Ness warily raised his hands up in surrender. _Okay, c__hill._ _I__ swear, I wasn't going to read your mind without your permission-_

_Like I'd believe you, _Ninten snapped.

"...You two are up to something," Claus broke in bluntly. He narrowed his eyes at his two friends. "I've been suspecting it for a while, ever since baseball practice last Friday."

Ness snorted. "Claus, that's a funny thought-"

"I was being completely serious," Claus deadpanned.

"Both of you've been avoiding us for the past few days," Lucas added curiously, and Ness blanched. Lucas rarely pointed things out, so their secretive behavior must not have been too secret after all. Lucas looked rather anxious. "Did we do something wrong?"

"No." Ness's throat felt dry. He mentally poked Ninten for assistance, but Ninten wasn't responding to him, and with two highly suspicious twins on his tail, Ness desperately tried cooking up another excuse. It was a risky trade. For all Ness knew, the twins could already be on the blacklist by association.

But supposing that it was about time that he let the cat out of the bag, Ness opened his mouth to speak-

"I had a family reunion yesterday," Ninten muttered, lowering his plastic spork.

Claus raised an eyebrow. "And...?"

"Giygas is my uncle."

The effect was instantaneous. A boggle-eyed Ness spewed out his apple juice in a spectacular arc over the table that would have made a dolphin proud. Claus's own eyes widened in shock before the sandwich he had been holding slipped from his fingers and landed with a comical splat onto the floor. Lucas flinched, knocking over his water canister which gurgled its contents out in protest, then dived under the bench to retrieve it from the ground.

"WHAT?!" Ness gasped, eyes watering in a coughing fit.

Claus snorted. "Yeah, and Lucas is my twin sister."

Ninten swallowed hard. "Giygas is really my uncle, guys. No joke."

With a growing frown, Claus leaned over. "No joke?"

"I wish." Ninten lowered his eyes onto the mushy goop on his Cafeteria plate. "No joke."

Lucas's amused voice shattered his train of thought. "Well, you two don't look very alike."

Snapping his head up at the unexpected reception, Ninten stared at him in disbelief. "Lucas. My uncle is the _second, most __horrifying creature on Earth _besides _Satan._ Doesn't that disturb you?"

"I admit that it's a little weird," Lucas said, casually handing over Claus half of his own sandwich. "But that doesn't change anything, does it? You're still you, whether or not Giygas is your uncle."

Ninten was taken aback. Most people assumed that Lucas was shy of speaking, and for a good reason. The younger twin rarely spoke up, if at all, during class. But as obvious as it sounded, something about Lucas's comment warmed his heart. Ninten felt a small smile grow on his face. Count on Lucas to say the right thing at the right time.

Sticking a finger in his mouth, Claus gagged. "Oh god. The _cheese._ I think I'm going to be sick-"

Lucas colored up. "It's true."

"Cheesy." Claus ruffled his brother's hair. Lucas grimaced, ducking his head in protest, and Claus threw Ninten a look. "Yeah, cool, Giygas is your uncle. Whatever. Next time you start a cheesefest, just sign me the fuck out."

Ninten rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Claus."

"With the way you were acting, I thought that somebody _died,"_ Ness laughed, slapping Ninten on the back. "Dude, lighten up. Like what Lucas says, we don't think any less of you because Giygas is your uncle."

Ninten wanted to cry with relief and shower everyone with hugs at the same time.

Suddenly, Claus leaned over with a terrifying _smirk._ "Now that you say it, the family resemblance in your hair is _striking_-"

"Giygas is bald!" Ninten snapped.

"Exactly. I guess you inherited his receding hairline."

Ninten kicked at Claus from underneath the cafeteria table. Unfortunately, he miscalculated the distance, and instead hit Lucas in the ankle. A surprised yelp of pain erupted into their ears.

"Oh, crap! Sorry, Lucas!" Ninten quickly apologized, cursing his bad luck.

"It's okay," the blond gasped, eyes watering as he nursed his throbbing ankle.

However, Claus did not take kindly to this action. "Ninten...," he whispered. His blue eyes flashed, radiating with a malignant aura. "You hurt my brother..."

"I swear that it was an accident! I was aiming for you!" Ninten protested.

Ness face-palmed. Ninten had dug his grave deeper. _Hoo boy._

_Ness!_ Ninten cried out, flailing pathetically in his mind. _Save me!_

_Sorry, man, _Ness warily eyed the murderous glint in Claus's eyes. _You're on your own._

_Ness, you traitor!_

"Oh, if you think kicking people's shins is justice, then you've got another thing coming, _lawyer boy."_ Claus cracked his knuckles, and Ninten's eyes widened in terror. "Now...we're going to stop acting like immature fools and handle this _like men_."

Ninten narrowed his eyes. "Bring it on," he countered, clenching his teeth.

For a few seconds, they glared at each other in a furious showdown, oblivious to the exasperated look Lucas and Ness were sharing. Then-

"Rock, paper, scissors, SHOOT!" they yelled in sync, and Claus balled his hand into a fist.

"HAH! YES! In your _face_, carrot top!" Ninten crowed, revealing his "paper." Claus retreated to his seat, sulking like a three-year-old, and victorious, Ninten pumped a fist into the air. "Who looks stupid now?"

Claus scowled. "Who are you calling stupid, stupid?"

"Your name is stupid," Ninten taunted.

Claus narrowed his eyes. "Not as stupid as yours."

"When it comes to nicknames, I can run circles around you," Ninten boasted in a sing-song. "Claustrophobia, Santa Claus-"

"Nintendo," Claus coughed.

"_Hella_ better than Santa Claus."

"Don't diss Santa Claus! He makes thousands of people happy every year!"

"Right, but you're a grumpy grinch."

Claus gave a loud noise of exasperation, then jabbed a finger in his direction. "Keep it up, and you'll go loony like your uncle."

Ness shook his head sadly. "You're not exactly one to speak for yourself."

"Oooh! _B__urn!"_ Ninten laughed. With a scowl, Claus smacked him in the arm, and Ninten punched him back in the shoulder.

"Oreo addict."

"Gingerbread."

"The asylum called. They want their patient back."

"Oh, were you _talking_ to _me_?" Ninten snorted. "I'm sorry, I don't speak idiot."

"Why, you-"

"Anger management called. I think they want you both in for counseling," Lucas smirked, abruptly bringing the debate to an unexpected end. At the expression of incredulous shock on his friends' faces, Ness swore that he had never laughed harder in his life.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Flint had always been very prideful of his sons.

When they had turned four, Flint had wanted them to inherit the farm. But Hinawa vehemently refused, stubbornly insisting that they should send the twins to school.

"Our sons are smart, Flint," she had said, crossing her arms in that _I'm-not-going-to-give-in_ posture. "Education will do them much good."

They had ended up arguing for a month over that particular debate, but finally, Flint caved in and allowed the twins to attend the first day of school as a trial test.

Much to Flint's surprise, his sons had bounced back home in excitement, wide eyes sparkling with avid wonder. "We want to go to school tomorrow," they had eagerly chimed at the same time.

Hinawa had cried from sheer happiness. Finding no reason to object, Flint had agreed.

Flint never regretted the decision. Their house was littered with his sons' numerous achievements: Honor chords and plaques decorated the dinner table. Claus's many robotics trophies were stacked neatly on the mantelpiece of the fireplace, and pictures of Lucas's prominent choir rehearsals hung on the walls. It was somewhat amusing, but at some point, each twin had taken pictures with the President of Eagleland for different reasons. Lucas and nine other boys had been nationally selected in a competitive tournament to sing for an important government performance in eighth grade. One year before that, Claus's robotics team had taken first place in the National Helicopter Design Tournament.

But now, Flint jolted in surprise at the message Claus had brought home.

_**Detention. Meet me after school tomorrow,** _it read in a neat scrawl of red ink.

There was an uncomfortable silence. Lucas had left to the kitchen as soon as they arrived home, suddenly claiming a desire to brew green tea, but Claus knew that it was a facade. Lucas wanted to give them privacy.

His father finally broke the silence in his characteristic rumble.

"Explain."

"There's nothing to explain. I got detention," Claus muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Flint said nothing. His silence only seemed to agitate his anxious son.

"I did nothing bad, I swear!" Claus added defensively.

The farmer placed his head into his hands. "Son..."

His father was not an expressive man, but Claus caught onto the subtle body language and scowled. "Don't tell me that you're disappointed!" he snapped, face coloring in embarrassment.

While Claus had his mischievous tendencies, his troublemaking never got out of hand. A scolded word or two was enough to keep the elder twin in check, and Claus was clever enough to know when his teachers were about to meet their limits. Even though he'd never admit it, Claus was upset; he had absolutely _loved_ Calculus.

"I can't say that I'm not disappointed, young man."

He clenched his fists. "I didn't do anything! Giygas flat-out gave me detention for something stupid! You should've seen him bullying Lucas in class-"

"Claus, I am not in the mood to be humored," Flint interrupted, meeting his eyes from underneath the rim of his hat. "Disrupting class is a serious offense."

Claus bolted to his feet. "You have no right to judge me," he accused, pointing a trembling finger at him in rising anger. "You were never there when we needed you!"

"...I know."

"NO, YOU DON'T! DON'T PRETEND THAT YOU KNOW!" Claus exploded, losing all vestiges of self-control. He clenched his teeth. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH! You didn't give a fuck when I ran away, and now you think that everything's all handy-dandy after Lucas is back, don't you?"

Flint said nothing. His son's frame shook so madly that he almost seemed to vibrate in place.

"I bet you wouldn't have even cared if he died...like _mom,"_ Claus whispered viciously. "If he died, then you would've-" He swallowed hard, unable to finish the sentence. "You, y-you...just sitting there..."

Claus whirled around, then tore through the kitchen to bolt up the stairs. Watching him leave, Flint said nothing. Each muffled _thump_ on the stairs savagely punched his heart, and in seconds, the angry tattoo of footsteps was cut short by a loud _slam_.

As if on cue, Lucas materialized from the kitchen. In his delicate hands nestled Hinawa's tiny tea tray. Even without asking, the younger sibling seemed to know what had transpired. Cupping a steaming mug of green tea into his father's clasped fingers, Lucas looked up. Warm sympathy that he didn't deserve welled in his son's blue eyes.

"It's okay," Lucas said, quietly pouring two more draughts of tea into separate mugs before rising with one in his hand. "I'll talk to him."

Lucas traipsed upstairs after his brother, careful not to spill any tea from the hot mug. After a series of soft pitter-pattering that hugely contrasted from the previous bout of angry thumping, Flint heard the gentle _knock_ echo down from the stairs. There was a creak as the bedroom door opened.

A soft voice rose in incantation of a question before an angry retort shot it down. Voices began to excitedly rise, escalating higher in volume and pitch. When they showed no sign of faltering, Flint hesitated, wondering whether or not to intervene, but within a few seconds, the noise had all but died down.

There was a short silence. Then the quiet air was punctured by the stifled sound of frustrated sobs, soon accompanied by soothing murmurs.

As he covered his eyes with the brim of his hat, Flint had never felt more alone in his entire life.

* * *

**4/17/15:**** Just to clarify to all you legit programmers...the code used is not legit. Sorry. So don't even try plugging it into the computer (you'll probably get a lot of error codes lol).**

**On the other hand, I suppose it can't hurt to say this: Treat the programming code as a simple riddle (emphasis on the numbers). If you can figure the code out, it foreshadows an event in Chapter 12.**

**Good luck!**

**-Phoesong**


	12. She was like a Sunflower

The cool early morning air blew gently against his bare back, tickling exposed skin.

**Scrape**.

Flint paid no attention to the sweat dripping from his brow, and grunted in exertion as he plowed the rich, brown soil. The soft dirt easily parted beneath him like water before a ship. Farm work was repetitive and very intensive, but hard work and patience yielded fruitful results.

Dawn was when Flint tended to stew in his thoughts alone. Sighing, he finished the last row of soil, then propped himself against the tool shed to enjoy the glowing sunrise. The bright sun peeked ever-so-slightly over the horizon, lending a sliver of warm yellow into the rainbow of deep purple.

Flint closed his eyes.

_"A man must tame his own farm and family," _His own father had once said back in the days, complete with his southern drawl and deep accent. As the man smoked his wood-carved pipe with gusto, he had thrown Flint a grave look._ "A lazy man means a wild farm and wild wife. Never trust a woman, for she will ensnare you with her sly and wily charms."_

_"Of course, pops!"_ Flint had said indignantly. _"I'd never fall for a girl!"_

His father had only laughed. _"I know you won't, Flint. Yer a good kid."_

But that was before Flint had met Hinawa. Sweet, brave Hinawa had melted his cold heart and had introduced him to a new life outside of work. It was as if he had finally opened his eyes, like a toddler experiencing the beauty of the world for the first time. Memories of her voice slowly seeped into his thoughts, and he could relive each image like a living photograph.

On their honeymoon: "Take a good look at the sunrise. A start of another day. It's _beautiful,_ Flint," she had said, her red dress swaying in the wind, while his own father would have rebuked him for sacrificing precious time for silly idleness.

After the twins were born: "Flint, go and spend the day with your boys," she had said disapprovingly, clutching a soup ladle in one hand. "You've spent the entire day working in the fields! What if they can't even recognize you as their own father?"

And then he remembered with a pang: "...I love you, Flint," Hinawa had whispered in that special, soft tone of hers that no angel could compare, head cocked curiously in a shadow of mischief Claus had clearly inherited. She would tell him that every single day...

Until her voice was brutally extinguished forever by a carelessly passing truck.

Flint stabbed the shovel roughly into the heart of the ground. It had dawned on him that Hinawa had always been the farmer to his field; when the farmer died, the seeds of his progeny that had sprouted under Hinawa's care had been subject to neglect. Flint had failed her: In bitterness and drowning sorrow, he had turned to drinking and left his growing sons to wither.

But to his astonishment, they had not. Lucas and Claus somehow coped like the toughest weeds, despite crushing hardship. Flint might have done little to support them, but he had not been completely blind to his sons' struggles. In rare bouts of sobriety, Flint had recognized subtle signs of their close trust: holding hands together, understanding each other without speaking a word, comforting the other when in distress.

Then again, Flint knew that he shouldn't have been surprised. His sons had inherited his own endurance and Hinawa's stubbornness after all.

Suddenly his train of thought was broken by a familiar chirp. "Good morning!" Lucas called out as he left the house, Claus silently trailing behind in tow. To Flint's surprise, his youngest son held out a paper bag. "Claus made some extra sandwiches today." Lucas's face fell. "...H-He thought you might have been hungry."

"Lucas helped too," Claus muttered. Looking uncomfortable, he avoided Flint's eyes.

His throat clogged up. Unable to speak, Flint gave a nod and took the paper bag. He studied his sons standing in front of him: one shrinking back in meek timidity, the other brimming with sullen resentment.

A grim determination seized him. No matter how hard it was, no matter how the odds were stacked against him, he wasn't planning to give up. Not by long shot. Overcome by a sudden bout of emotion, the Flint suddenly swept his sons into a rare embrace. He could feel them both stiffening in surprise, but he released them just as abruptly.

Flint watched in concern. "Stay safe."

"Of course," Lucas said softly. Claus only nodded, but his shoulders noticeably relaxed.

"Promise me," Flint repeated after them with numb lips. He had lost his wife, and had almost lost both his sons over the past few years. He couldn't let that happen, not again.

Both his sons looked surprised, but this time, simultaneously broke out into genuine smiles. "We will," they said in sync, before walking away and disappearing from his line of sight.

For a few more minutes, Flint stood alone.

Then his own mouth slowly twitched into a smile. A quiet sense of pride filled him as he hurried over to start weeding the field. There was much work to be done, but everything was going to be resolved, one way or another.

_After all, was it not a father's intuition to care for his sons?_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Lucas blinked in surprise. "Er...Claus? What's this?"

Claus scowled before snatching his sketchbook back. "Stupid frickin' art class is what. I have to finish assignment two. You know, draw a portrait of a family member."

"When's yours due?"

"Tomorrow. Are you done with yours?"

Lucas grimaced. "No, I'm only half-way there."

It was amusing to see how their contrasting personalities shone through their different art styles. Claus's sketches were practical and down-to-earth. He drew exactly what he saw: neat straight lines and sharp corners dominated the page with an emphasis on logic. Most of the time, his impatience at shading clearly showed through; his work consisted of basic skeletons and bare blueprints of the object in question. Nothing more, nothing less.

On the other hand, Lucas's drawings seemed to evoke some form of human emotion from a viewer. If Claus was defined, then Lucas was abstract. Soft curves and an almost-surreal background lent his work life through careful contrast in lighting and shading. His sketches were nothing but raw expression: sadness, joy, sympathy, pure happiness.

But while art was a nice change from the academic curriculum, neither of them would have taken the course if it wasn't mandatory: Claus was more interested in tinkering in his solar car team, and Lucas preferred to devote his time to choir.

"So where's the portrait?" Lucas said curiously. "I didn't think that looked like one of your solar car blueprints either-"

Claus colored up. "...This was the portrait. It's you. Well, it's _supposed_ to be you..."

Lucas stared at the drawing of what looked like a very crude blob. "Claus," he said weakly. "I'm sorry, but that looks _nothing_ like my face-"

Before Claus could retort, Ninten popped up between the two brothers with a mischievous grin. "Heya, guys! What'cha you looking at?"

With a defeated sigh, Claus showed him the sketch. For a second, Ninten frowned, studying the drawing with a furrowed squint. Ninten brightened up, then enthusiastically jabbed a finger at the blob. "Is that supposed to be a potato?"

Claus smacked the laughing friend in the head with his sketchbook. "I was half-asleep, okay?" he snapped, crossing his arms in a huff. "Try drawing a portrait in the dark at _two_ in the morning."

"It's due tomorrow. You still have plenty of time," Lucas reassured.

Claus shook his head. "I have detention with Giygas today, remember? He's going to give me homework until _hell_. On top of that, I'm welding the Solar Car with Lloyd at Jeff's tonight."

Ninten winced. "Bummer. Giygas does give a lot of extra homework. At least you don't have a problem with math. Those problems should be a doozy for you." Brown eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, hey! Hey, Ness!" Ninten suddenly yelled, waving his arms around in glee. "Check out Claus's incredible masterpiece!"

Claus scowled at Ninten, but it was already too late; Ness had already waltzed over and was now looking down at his sketchbook. "Damn, Claus. Uh...is that supposed to be a potato?"

Ninten broke into another fit of mad giggles. Claus sulked.

"Well, at least your head resembles a circle," Lucas tried to reassure his brother, pointing at the mutant tuber-like shape in his sketch.

"Gee, _thanks,_ Lucas," Claus grumbled, snatching his sketchbook back. "I'd like to see you draw any better-"

A nasally voice interrupted the proceedings. "Hey, _dumbass!"_

Lucas stiffened.

As if on cue, his three friends reacted at once: Claus pushed himself protectively in front of his younger brother, a genuine scowl plastered on his face. Ninten threw a look of equal distrust in the direction of the rude remark, and Ness silently shifted closer to all of them, ready to disperse a fight if necessary. All in all, they resembled a fierce brigade of bodyguards.

Lucas blinked several times in surprise at their sudden reaction. "Guys...? This is my problem_, _not yours_,_" he said softly, while trying to push his brother aside. "Let me handle this on my own-"

"No, Lucas," Ness interrupted. "This is _our_ problem."

Taken aback by their defensive formation, Pokey gaped. Hasty feet backpedaled, screeching to an abrupt halt. "What the hell-?"

"What do you want, Pokey?" Ninten said, crossing his arms in a "no-nonsense" manner. He cocked his head to the side - a sharp tilt that intensified the haughty, proud look in his hawkeyed glare.

"Butt out," Pokey said, resting his eyes onto his sole target. He cracked his knuckles. "I still have some unfinished business with _someone-"_

"Drop it," Lucas said quietly. "I don't want to fight you."

"Don't tell me what to do, _coward_. Stop hiding behind your brother's shorts, and face my fist like a man!"

"Bring it, _Porky!_" Claus spat out, sizing Pokey up with a look of absolute loathing. "You crossed the line. You've _really_ done it this time. Lay one finger on my brother, and forget the damn rules - I'm punching _you_ in the face!"

_Claus, stop! __There's_ _something you don't understand-_

_No, I understand plenty._

Lucas looked frustrated. _CLAUS! I can fend for myself!_

_Sure, if fending for yourself means scoring two black eyes and an arm cast,_ his brother said coolly without batting an eye. The muscle in his jaw twitched in a slight twinge of annoyance. S_top pushing me. You can't make me move._

Lucas made a noise of exasperation, then shoved his brother, but his efforts were in vain; Claus stubbornly dug his heels into the tiled floor, refusing to budge even an inch. Baring his teeth, Claus pulled up his sleeves-

In a bout of quick thinking, Ness stepped in. Pokey swiveled around, training his eyes on his newest adversary.

"Ness, admit it. He's a coward."

"Don't call him a coward."

"_Look_ at him!" Pokey jabbed a finger in Lucas's direction. "He sings like a _freak!"_

Violet eyes hardened. "Don't call him a freak."

"He's forcing you to fight, isn't he? What kind of friend _does_ that?! He's a freak!" Pokey cried, waving his hands into the air. "What do you see in _him?_ His blond hair? I have blond hair too! Was that it, Ness? Were you out of options? Were you that desperate for a friend to replace me?!"

"He never replaced you."

Pokey's breath hitched. "What do you mean?"

"Lucas never replaced you," Ness repeated, meeting his eyes. "You did that yourself."

The penny dropped.

Hushed silence spread for miles.

Suddenly, Pokey whipped around with a loud, ear-shattering howl and lunged for Lucas with extended hands. Kicking his brother back, Claus snarled, ready to tackle the bully head-on, but before anyone could react, Ness had thrown himself in the way. Onlookers shrieked as the collision slammed Ness against the lockers, knocking his head against the hard metal.

Two burly hands quickly yanked Ness up, twisting into the scruff of his shirt.

"You...I HATE YOU!"

"Don't hurt my friends!"

"FINE! If you like your _friend_ so much, then _you_ can take his place!"

Shouting his name in alarm, they hurried over to help, only to be caught by Ness's scorching glare. _Don't intervene, _he seemed to be saying.

Enraged beyond his wits, Pokey raised a thick hand, pulling back to deliver a massive blow, but Ness didn't turn away. As if hypnotized, Pokey trembled, staring into his eyes.

"So it all comes down to this," Ness whispered; his cap had fallen off in the midst of chaos. "What will you do now, Pokey?"

"Shut up, Ness! I'M TRYING TO THINK!"

"Picky would be distraught to see you in this state."

His grip on Ness's shirt tightened; Pokey's knuckles turned an alabaster white from exertion. The cords in his hefty arms stood out, taut from tension, and for a teetering second, it looked as if Ness was about to receive the beating of his life.

Then Pokey slumped over, lowering him down onto the floor.

"…I hate you." Thick tears began to leak out of Pokey's eyes. "_Are you okay?_ _Are you all right? _You used to ask me that every day, you know. But now, it's like you don't even care. You wouldn't care if I dropped dead the next morning, would you?! You're so lucky. You can go home and cry to mommy, and mommy will make things better, but all my parents care about is money! I have no one!"

There was a pause, then a choke. "I never _asked_ to be born. I never asked to be made this way." Pokey scrunched his eyes; more tears escaped down his face. "I was wrong. You're no better than the rest of them._"_

Roughly shoving Ness into the tiles, Pokey turned and marched away, disappearing around the corner.

Instantly, the whispers grew. Ness slowly picked himself back up, surrounded by his appalled classmates.

"Ness, are you okay?"

"Bring him to Nurse Tessie-"

"We should report this to a teacher-"

"I'm okay. Don't tell the teachers. Minor misunderstanding." Ness forced a small smile. Raising his head, Ness caught Ninten's eye, then indicated to the side with a barely noticeable jerk of the head. Realization dawning on his features, Ninten poked the twins, grabbing their attention, then escaped the crowd by veering outside.

Staring at the ground, Ness was already waiting for them, leaning against the brick wall with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Ness," Ninten finally started in awe. "That was either an incredibly brave or an incredibly _stupid_ thing to do."

Ness merely shrugged, turning his eyes onto them. "I knew that Pokey couldn't hurt me. There was nothing brave about that."

"Well, it's a good thing you stepped in," Claus said bluntly. "Or else, I might've gotten to Pokey first. What a creep."

Ninten laughed. "No kidding!"

Ness absentmindedly took in their words without thought. Instead, he turned to the friend who had yet to speak, hesitant about what he would find.

Lucas wouldn't meet his eyes.

His heart plummeted. "Lucas-"

"I don't know," Lucas said quietly, still not raising his head. "What do you want me to say?"

Claus rolled his eyes, watching his brother leave. "Is that supposed to be a rhetorical question?"

"Yeah, Lucas! Lighten up!" Ninten brightly called after him. "If Pokey decides to bully you again, then we'll just beat him up for you!"

Lucas had stiffened up again, having lurched to a complete halt; he had turned as frighteningly still as a statue. For a few uncomfortable seconds, they watched the younger twin struggle for a suitable response.

Finally, Lucas spoke. His voice sounded horribly lifeless.

"...Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

Without another word, Lucas brushed past them.

Bewildered, Ninten stopped, staring after him. "I don't get it. Was it something I said?"

Sensing his twin's disappointment stewing in his mind, Claus made a sudden move to follow, only to be blocked by someone's arm; Ness had stopped him in his tracks.

"...Let's head to class," Ness said in a strangely hollow voice.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Lost and confused by Lucas's behavior, Ninten had hoped to catch the twin in class, but that opportunity was never granted to him; as if reading his mind, Miss Marshmallow had volunteered him and a couple of unlucky students to enact a long passage from _Romeo and Juliet._ After that debacle, Ninten had been set on cornering Lucas in the cafeteria, but a last-minute complication with borrowing books had forced Lucas to miss lunch. Upon hearing his whereabouts, Ninten had been ready to charge into the library before Ness had finally stopped him, clamping a hand on his shoulder.

"I know that you had good intentions in mind," Ness had said quietly. "And I'm sure Lucas knows too. Don't take it to heart."

Yet, Ninten couldn't help but feel even worse. He had somehow managed to upset the most rational, level-headed person in the school.

Brilliant.

Sulking, Ninten made his way to History. Locating his seat, his eyes hesitantly shifted two rows ahead.

Lucas was reading, deeply absorbed in his book. Beside him, Claus awkwardly met his eyes, looking vastly uncomfortable about how to act. Even he seemed uncertain about how to approach his brother. Taking the longer route around, Ninten threw him a sympathetic look of his own before dumping his bag onto his desk.

Oh well. At least Claus wasn't mad at him.

The bell rang once more, and Mr. Leder shortly arrived, sixth cup of coffee in hand. After politely asking the class if they were prepared for lecture, the photographic genius began droning facts about Dalaam.

"Due to their strict immigration policy, Dalaam bars entry to non-native persons-"

Consumed by his thoughts, it took about half an hour for Ninten to realize that he had spaced out. Instinctively, he glanced down at his notes, then noticed that he had written absolutely nothing. Ninten grimaced; Claus never took notes, and Ness was in an entirely different class period. In a sudden stroke of thought, Ninten wondered if he could ask Lucas for his, but instantly shot that down with a wince.

In fact, Lucas would probably share his notes if he asked.

And that was the worst part about it; Ninten didn't have the guts to ask. It felt dirty, like he was taking advantage of his friend's kindness. Feeling incredibly guilty for even considering the option, Ninten cast his eyes to the front.

Mr. Leder had turned to face the blackboard.

Perfect.

Seizing his chance, Ninten wadded up a sheet of paper and threw it, expertly hitting Claus on the head.

Said target jerked his head up in alarm. Raising his eyebrows, Claus shot his assailant a look. Mouthing something, Ninten furiously pointed down at his desk. Bemused, Claus gave the droning teacher a side-glance before unfolding the scrunched ball of paper.

⻢4⻦0 ⻤9⻤6 ⻦2⻥7⻦0⻤6⻦1? ⻢4 ⻤4⻤2⻥5'⻦1 ⻦1⻤6⻥3⻥3.

Claus spared a glimpse to the side. Oblivious to their shenanigans, Lucas had bent over his desk, calmly jotting down notes in his usual diligence. Not in the mood to disrupt his brother's concentration, Claus turned around, giving Ninten a helpless shrug. _I don't know, _he mouthed back.

Ninten's head drooped.

It was going to be a long day.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The rest of school passed excruciatingly slowly.

When dismissal finally came, it was with a general air of relief. Ness waved goodbye to a thoroughly miserable-looking Ninten, then headed off on foot. Along the way, the Onett teen ran his errands, stopping by to pick up some groceries before strolling down the familiar sidewalk home. Not many people passed by this side of town, preferring the more convenient road.

But Ness welcomed the silence; it gave him the chance to think.

Claus and Ninten had every right to be prejudiced, especially since Pokey had viciously bullied Lucas too many times to count. Ness's stomach gave a nasty twinge when he recalled some unpleasant middle school memories.

A broken arm was nothing to trifle with.

But at the same time, Ness shifted his glance to the cracked sidewalk. He thought back to the fat bruise on Pokey's shoulder, the words the bigger boy had spoken to him. A cold feeling stirred his insides.

_Aloysius was beating him again._

Something clattered, and Ness instantly recoiled, almost smashing the discarded waterbottle in fear. Realizing that it hadn't been a threat, Ness forced himself to relax, and took a deep breath.

_If those starmen get the jump on me, I might not be so lucky to fend them off._

A sour taste pervaded his mouth. With all that had happened, Ninten had failed to track down their "mystery powerhouse". Ness was worried for a good reason: They were still nowhere close to solving the mystery, and the blackmail deadline was tomorrow.

Ninten had _said_ that he sensed two people who fit the bill.

Why couldn't narrow them down to one?

_Everyone's PSI core is different from person to person. Ninten __should've had no problem isolating one of the PSI signatures from the other._

But if Ninten had trouble trying to distinguish the two PSI signatures from each other, then that meant that they had to be almost - if not completely - identical.

_And that makes no sense,_ Ness noted, furrowing his eyebrows. _No two PSI signatures are exactly same, and we already ruled out the possibility of cutting a core into two._

But this was stuff he'd already known. He wasn't getting anywhere. Frustrated, Ness stomped a foot. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he started over from the start.

PSI was like DNA. The closer two psychics were related, the more similarities their PSI signatures shared. It had explained how Ninten had been able to open Giygas's desk. Giygas was his adopted uncle. No doubt Ninten's PSI was influenced by parts of his. Their PSI must've been similar enough to fool the lock.

But even if two PSI signatures were _similar,_ they couldn't be the _same_. Ninten should've been able to pick out the differences without a bat of his eye. It was like trying to tell apart two brothers or sisters by DNA; anyone could tell apart who was who.

There was absolutely no way two people could share the exact same DNA. It was genetically impossible...

...Unless they were twins.

Ness's breath hitched in his throat.

Immediately, he flicked past his memories, desperately trying to prove himself wrong. But as if seeing the full picture, everything suddenly clicked into place.

_Ninten's constant headache, the weird looks the twins had thrown each other from time to time, Claus's guilty expression at the Halloween Dance...it makes sense. It ALL makes sense!_

Ninten had sensed two PSI cores...because there had been two people who could conjure PK Love.

_How ironic, _Ness thought wryly. _That the people we had been searching for were literally in our faces the entire time._

Now that _that_ particular case had been cracked, Ness had to protect them.

Contrary to what Ninten had believed, Ness was highly suspicious of Giygas. Giygas had convinced Ninten in one night, and Ninten was not someone who changed his mind at the snap of a finger. And judging from what little Ninten had told him about the dinner party, Ness was uneasy. For someone uninvolved with the opposing side, Giygas knew too much.

Ana and Poo had disappeared from school. Paula and Kumatora had disappeared near their homes.

Only a teacher could access the school without suspicion. Only a teacher could know where all students lived.

And in all cases, each student had been cleverly isolated from their surroundings before their kidnapping.

His muscles suddenly felt weak. He steadied his grip on the groceries, but the plastic handles kept slipping through his sweating fingers. An uneasy feeling flashed through his mind, as if he had forgotten something crucial, something _important-_

Ness gritted his teeth, shifting through his memories a second time. Giygas clearly knew what he was doing, and Ness didn't like the thought of leaving the twins alone with him, not one bit...

A horrible thought suddenly seized him.

Didn't Claus have detention today?

Alone. With Giygas.

_Shit. _Ness's eyes dilated in alarm._ Claus!_

He whirled around, doubling back to the school. Without second thought, Ness plowed through the sidewalk with sheer muscle, waving his arms wildly at his sides-

However, in his sudden haste, Ness had not expected to crash into someone. With a painful yelp, Ness rebounded off, brutally smacking against the ground with a painful _thud._ Grocery bags flew out of his hands; its contents whizzing through the air. A milk carton splattered the sidewalk in a sticky, white mess, and several eggs smashed onto the hard concrete in a crescendo of sickening cracks.

But that was the last of his worries.

Feeling an awful sense of growing dread, Ness's eyes slowly traveled from the familiar silver feet, flitted across metallic torso, and finally rested on the emotionless gaze of a Starman. Several of its buddies stood stiffly behind it in attention, and Ness's heart plummeted sharply. Five expressionless faces studied him before breaking out into an ominous groan.

"Target identified: Ness."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

To say that Ninten was frustrated was the understatement of the century.

He could tell that Ness was equally downhearted by their subsequent failures. As Ness threw him a weak smile and waved him off, Ninten stood still in front of the school.

Ninten gripped his temples in frustration. _Why can't I track down our guy?_ _At the very least, I should have a list of suspects by now._

Sour from his failures, Ninten trudged across the school courtyard. The school had canceled all extracurricular activities for an entire week due to bad weather conditions. At the thought, he forced a grin, remembering how Ness threw a hissy-fit today for not being able to schedule a last-minute baseball practice.

But the weather station had been completely wrong. Today the weather was _gorgeous._ The sun out with just the right touch of wind. The cool air felt pleasantly refreshing against his spiky hair.

_Why does the weather have to be so happy when I'm feeling so down?_

As if on cue, something moist grabbed his arm. Emitting a shriek, Ninten jumped ten feet into the air-

...before he heard the awful sobbing.

Ninten turned around. His face took on an expression of incredulity at the unexpected sight. "Pokey?!"

Pokey was in no condition to respond. In fact, the big bully was _bawling_. Tears dripped down his chubby cheeks from red-rimmed eyes, mixing in with the snot running freely from his nose. Mildly disgusted, Ninten opened his mouth to crack a sarcastic remark, probably something along the lines of _go away, _but thinking back to Pokey's breakdown earlier in the hallway, the words died in his throat.

Damn it. What was Ninten supposed to do now? He was no Ness. He wasn't a philanthropist. He didn't have the same compassion Ness had, the same patience to treat every single person like they were special.

But although he had no love for Pokey, Ninten was struck by a bizarre surprise at his alarming condition. He couldn't stand here and do _nothing_.

Great, Ness was rubbing off on him.

Uncertain, Ninten shuffled over. "Um..."

"N-Ninten?" Recognition dawned in Pokey's eyes. Suddenly, Pokey shoved him away, sending Ninten stumbling. "Wh-What are you doing?! Save y-yourself before he finds you too-"

"What the heck! What's your problem?" Furious, Ninten pushed himself back onto his knees. "I'm _trying_ to help you-"

"H-He knows."

"Who knows?"

"He's...He's after Ness..."

"Hold on, what? Who's after Ness?" When Pokey doesn't respond, Ninten marched over to his face, forcing the downed bully to look into his eyes. "Pokey. Where. Is. Ness?"

Pokey only took one look at him before completely losing it. "I DON'T KNOW!" he howled, breaking down uncontrollably. "Giygas probably took him by now-"

Ninten felt like someone had thrown a curveball to the gut. "...Giygas?" he breathed, suddenly terrified. "Oh no. No, it can't be...no!" Prickling suspicion followed disbelief. "And how would you know?"

Pokey only bawled louder.

It all clicked.

"It was you! _You've_ been working for Giygas this entire time!" Ninten yelled, jumping away from him in disgust. He jabbed an accusing finger into Pokey's face. _"You_ were the spy! YOU'RE THE REASON EVERYONE WENT MISSING!"

"WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?!" Pokey screamed back, throwing his hands up into the air. "HE TOOK MY BROTHER!"

Ninten froze at the unexpected outburst. "What...?"

"Giygas said...Giygas said that h-he'd return him if I cooperated," Pokey gasped, wet rivulets of tears flowing down his chubby chin. "He s-said that if I was good, he wouldn't take Ness too..."

"Pokey..."

"He lied." Pokey's eyes shone with a terrible helplessness. "He took everything away from m-me..."

Ninten had no idea what to say. For a split second, he could only stare the pitiful lump quivering against the ground. Then his feet caught up to his mind, and he shot away, tearing through the streets like never before. The sprint to the baseball field was nothing compared to the urgency he felt now. And run Ninten did, running harder than he ever had in his entire life.

Feet pounded sidewalk in a frantic, panicked tattoo. All the while, his chest heaved with the force of violent breaths, and Ninten retched, wheezing at the awful pain clawing at his sides.

Giygas's betrayal stung. It twisted a knife deeply into his heart, because all along, the perpetrator had been Giygas...Giygas, whom he had dared to believe, whom he had even tried to _trust..._

And Ninten had stupidly fallen for it. He had fallen for the biggest trick in history, and Ness was going to pay the price for his foolishness.

Choked helplessness clogged his throat. Ninten mentally screamed out for his friend, calling out his name for any sign of a familiar response. Anything except for awful silence.

_Ness, where are you?_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Sullen, Claus shouldered his bag and made his way through the hallways. Ever since Pokey's intervention, school was building up to be a lousy day. And now, he had detention on top of that.

_Perfect. Fucking PERFECT._

"Claus..."

Registering the soft voice, Claus turned around, trying to reassure his worried brother. "Lucas, I'll be fine. Look, why don't you go and catch the bus home?"

Lucas hesitated. "But-"

"Detention's going to last a while. You'll be here doing nothing for an hour if you wait. Go home. Seriously," he added with a frown when his brother didn't budge. "There's nothing you can do, Lucas." Claus suddenly smirked, "Unless you want to take my place in detention."

"I can take your place for you," Lucas said quietly. "It wasn't your fault-"

"-and you know that I would _never_ let you," Claus finished firmly. He grinned, hiding his worries under a mischievous facade. "Relax, Lucas. It's only a detention. I'm not going to get mugged or anything."

"I know..." Lucas's lips quirked into a small smile, and at that moment, Claus knew he had succeeded in convincing his brother. "Okay, I guess I'll go home then."

"Good boy," Claus smirked, ruffling his brother's hair into messy curtains.

Lucas yelped and swatted his hand away. "Claus!"

Still smirking, Claus watched his twin disappear in higher spirits. Lucas's concern had never failed to brighten him up.

Mentally preparing himself for doom, Claus approached his destination and knocked. The sound echoed through the marble hallway. "Giygas?"

There was no response, and Claus frowned.

_That's strange. Is Giygas not here? _

"Hello?" Claus called out once more, rapping the door, before opening it with an ominous _creaaaak._

The entire classroom was dark: the lights were turned off. The blinds were shut to max, lending the eerie silence a sinister undertone. Claus swore that he could hear his own breath as he walked into the slightly chilly air, hugging himself in warmth; the AC must be on at max. He flicked on the light switch in annoyance, but after a weak flicker, the bulb fizzled and died.

_Great. I guess I'll have to wait for him in the dark._

But darkness had never bothered Claus before. With an indifferent shrug, Claus slumped down into one of the empty chairs, rummaging for his pencils in his bag. As his fingers scrabbled around, he quickly realized that his calculator was missing. _Oh crap, I lent it to Lucas yesterday and forgot to ask him back for it..._

Not that Claus needed a calculator, but Giygas was quite notorious for giving detention homework with ridiculous numbers from what Ninten had told him. He reisgned himself for a long detention, stretching out his limbs with a loud sigh.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut.

Claus jumped in his seat.

His blood ran cold. _Something's not right._

"...Giygas?"

A pair of red eyes blinked back into his face.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

At the ear-shattering whirr, Claus threw himself off the chair without second thought.

Not a moment too soon: A giant blast of energy hit the desk, obliterating it into a pile of matchsticks.

Claus wasted no time to react. Whatever these..._things_ were, they were clearly a threat, and he was in trouble. Instinctively, he called upon his PSI core, feeling it hum in a hot rush of energy. Deliberately, he pointed at the Starmen with sparking hands.

"PK Love!"

Nothing happened.

Claus couldn't help but throw his hands into the air in annoyance. "Oh, come on!" he complained before another beam almost fried his face.

Instantly, he switched tactics.

"PK Thunder!" he yelled instead, sizzling one Starman and sending it flying into two others.

"PK THUNDER!" Another dazzling bolt of fluorescent silver slammed into one robot, imprinting an impressive crater into the wall.

"PSI Block," one of them droned just as Claus tried to send out another bolt of crackling lightning. To his alarm, Claus felt a foreign force repress his PSI core, closing around it like a gloved hand.

_BLAST!_

Red eyes began to glow in sync at their intended target. Claus yelped, narrowly ducking underneath the desk. With a _floom_, the solid wood caught fire, setting deadly flames to dance across its surface like an odd birthday cake.

Squeezing his eyes tightly, Claus steadied his shaking hands. _What are these things? Why are they attacking me? _Claus felt hysterical fear bubble in his throat before he quenched it grimly. _I'm glad that Lucas went home. At least he's safe._

The world must have seriously hated him, because as if on cue, his younger brother loudly burst into the classroom. "Sorry, Claus, I realized I took your calculato-"

Immediately, Lucas froze as the Starmen focused their gazes on their new arrival. Claus shrieked without disregard for his own safety. "Lucas, DUCK!"

Flinching in alarm, Lucas barely avoided the deadly beams of light that had soared over his head. "Claus, what-"

Quickly overcoming his initial surprise, Claus darted over to seize his brother's wrist, yanking him out of the classroom. "Don't ask!" His elder brother shrieked. "JUST RUN!"

Something exploded at their feet. With a collective shout of surprise, they toppled over, feeling the tremors skidding into an empty classroom. Heart pounding madly in his ribcage, Claus caught sight of Starmen rapidly piling up behind them.

_Lucas, shut the door!_

Without question, Lucas immediately bolted up, slamming the classroom door shut. Together, the twins dragged several desks to barricade the entrance before scanning the room desperately for a way out.

They were cornered like rats in a cage. The only exits were the door and windows. The door was definitely out of the question, and the windows had been bolted shut and barred - probably as a new security measure. Claus wanted to laugh at the irony, but now was not the time to indulge in dark humor.

The door shuddered wildly, the knob twisting madly in rattling clicks. A vicious series of scratching erupted on the other side as if a rabid animal was clawing its way in.

Heavy, ragged breathing filled their ears. The air reeked of drowning dread.

Claus suddenly broke the silence with a feeble laugh. "...I guess that means detention's cancelled."

_Claus...? _Lucas's blue eyes flickered to his in fear. They flinched as the door rattled even more violently; a few chairs vibrated from the force of the thunks._ What's going on?_

_To heck if I know. _Claus flicked his hands to no avail. _Shit, I still can't use PSI!_

Lucas made a noise of alarm._ What happened?_

Then the door flew off its hinges with a nasty, gun-shot like bang. Lucas shrieked, diving to the floor as the group of Starmen barged in, red eyes glowing. "Target uncooperative," they rasped in eerie synchronization, monotonously honing in on Claus. "Force will be used."

For the second time that day, Claus was faced with another barrage of PK Beams. Several sizzling bolts narrowly missed his torso. He ducked, but despite himself, one beam managed to graze his right thigh.

Raw, piercing pain exploded in his nerves. Unable to hold his weight, his trembling leg collapsed underneath him, and Claus stumbled to the ground. The Starmen hovered closer, charging up another attack, and Claus feebly raised an arm to defend himself-

"PK Love!" Lucas cried, opening his arms in an expressive show of light. Beautiful blue hexagons shimmered through the air, and Claus looked on with awe at the display of color as it gently dissolved against his skin like harmless snow.

However, the Starmen weren't so lucky. Upon contact, hexagons tore and shredded through metallic skin like paper. Several machines exploded in a shower of sparks and groaning screeches.

_Why couldn't I do that?_

In a heartbeat, Lucas was at his side, firmly yanking him back onto his unsteady feet. Claus involuntarily hissed as the agonizing burn flared with pain.

_Claus! _Lucas gripped his wrist tightly in concern. _Are you hurt?_

_It's nothing. Just a small burn- _he started, but Lucas had already placed a cool hand on top of his inflamed wound.

"PK Healing." The gruesome, stinging inflammation washed away like paint, replaced by the flushed color of warm skin.

All the remaining Starmen had frozen. In eerie synchronization, they slowly fixed their eyes upon Lucas, who started to look unnerved by the sudden display of attention. "Second target acquired."

Claus's stomach dropped. "Lucas," he whispered urgently, watching his younger brother for a reaction, but he got none. Claus raised his voice into a yell. "LUCAS, RUN! Run before they-"

"PSI Block," droned a Starman.

_CRAP!_

_"_Pk Love!"

But this time, nothing happened. Realization dawned on Lucas's face, but as he hastily tried to correct for his mistake, one of the Starmen struck him onto the floor with a _thunk _of metal hitting bone. Lucas collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.

Several whirring sounds erupted, and the Starmen's arms deconstructed into tranquilizer guns. "Target PSI neutralized."

"Lucas!" Claus shouted, dragging his dazed brother back in time as several tranquilizer darts punched the tiles.

To his relief, a rough glimpse reassured him that Lucas was okay, but shaken. Claus's eyes scanned around for the open classroom door, but his heart fell; their one ticket out was blocked by a vast crowd of Starmen. It was a hopeless case; Claus couldn't defend Lucas and avoid attacks at the same time. Gritting his teeth, Claus protectively pushed his brother behind him, throwing the Starmen a defiant glare despite the fear that threatened to bubble up his throat.

For the first time, Claus felt terrified. They were about to become the next victims of a kidnapping, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Absolutely nothing.

* * *

**Author's Note****:**

**Author's Note:**

**Hey guys!**

**There are three things I need to cover:**

**One****: This is no mistake. I posted this chapter early on purpose. This is because...**

**Two****: My final exams are starting. While I'll probably be able to answer any PMs during this time, I will not be able to update any of my stories for the next month or so. This is because my grades had taken that sudden dip in the middle of the semester (read AN in chapter 7). Therefore, doing well on them is extremely important to me. My grades aren't bad, but (1) I'm premed lol and (2) I need to work my ass off to completely recover from that dip. BUT I CAN DO IT ARGGHHH *Punches gen chem test out of the park***

**Three****: I will warn you that this is possibly the worst cliffhanger in the entire story. And with that one month-ish wait for the next chapter...Hoo boy, I really do feel sorry for ya'll.**

**But don't worry! I'll be back soon. :)**

**You know, I really love reading your reviews. Your conspiracy theories in the reviews totally make my day. Sometimes I wonder how many people I manage to bamboozle...or UNbamboozle...or bamboozle again...Bottom line is: Don't trust everything I write. Except the AN. Maybe. Who knows?**

**Now onto your reviews~**

**Paula-Ana****: Haha I apologize if my story wasn't straightforward! I realized some parts were confusing, so I edited some mistakes to make some info easier to understand. :) Thank you! But the bottom line: Lucas and Claus individually have separate PSI cores. Ninten and Ness do not know there is more than 1 PSI user, so they're baffled to why one 1 PSI user would have 2 cores (unless if 1 PSI core was split in half, which we know is HIGHLY unlikely). ;) And hmm...who knows? Is Giygas innocent, or is he lying? No one knowssssss :D**

**SMF****: Thanks! :D I just try my best with writing haha...And you came quite close to the purpose of the code! Also, whether Giygas is innocent or not, I'll leave that to you to decide ;)**

**KaguTheGreat****: Yes, I did. :D I'm actually impressed you read my A.N; I was under the impression that my ANs are (1) boring and (2) horrendously long. But kudos to you! And I agree; it is amazing how the four boys haven't accidentally read each other's mind yet. :) But we'll explore the mechanics of telepathy in a future chapter (Chapter 13, 14ish? Haven't decided yet)!**

**My XD****: AHHH Thank you! xD And yes, Claus is awesome! He'd totally win the award for "Best Brother in the Universe."**

**OXYD****: I'm so sorry if my writing wasn't clear! xD But Giygas is revealed as Ninten's uncle in the end of chapter 9. And yeah, it is a bit bizarre...I'm a strange person. :) Hmmm, mysterious voice threatening Pokey, I wonder who that could be...? ;D**

**Angel-woof****: Thanks so much! XD Honestly, I'm no English major, but I'll do my best to write some cool stuff/fluff/enough (haha rhymes). And yes, Lucas always seems to make everything a little better for Claus :) On the risk of copy-pasting: Is Giygas innocent, or is he lying? No one knowssssss :D Huh, I do wonder how long it'll take the four boys to learn PSI... ;D We may never find out. And NO! It is never too late to celebrate Lucas's return, my friend! :D Happiness and omelets for all! *Starts dancing next to you***

**Guest**: **Yeah, I crammed in so much info! xD Ahhh I'm Sorry!**

**ConnorTheSpelingPro****: ...And a special shout-out to you. :) This time, I took a leaf from your book and read the chapter out loud. I caught quite a few grammar mistakes that way (although my dorm mate was probably like WTF xD). Thanks! :D**

**[Insert appropriate disclaimer here]**


	13. Family Matters

"Claus," Lucas whispered.

"I know." Claus's eyes darted around for any hope of escape, but found no such luck. "We're screwed."

Suddenly, the entire army clanked to a complete stop in front of their stunned eyes. The lead Starman shuffled forward. Its metal chest plate smoothly slid up like a window, revealing a video screen. For several seconds, the back of a black, leather-bound chair fizzled into the camera shot. Then the chair spun around, revealing the flickering silhouette of...

"Giygas," Claus snarled.

Said person tilted his head. "Hello, foolish child. It's a pleasure to know that you've kept your word." Cold eyes flickered to the side. A glint of recognition passed those irises, proud and haughty. "I see that you've brought your foolish brother along."

Catching his gaze, Claus protectively stepped closer to his twin. "What do you want?"

Giygas tapped his fingers. "You know PK Love. Come quietly, and no harm will come your way, foolish children."

Erupting like wildfire, Claus was about to shoot out a nasty retort when Lucas set a firm hand on his twin's shoulder. Giygas had the upper hand here, and losing their temper would only make matters worse.

Lucas stepped forward. "If we go missing, then the police are bound to investigate," he stated with false confidence, although Claus caught the slight quiver in his voice. "You should leave while you can, Giygas."

"You can't stall me. Both of you are outnumbered. I have the final say here." Giygas sounded rather pleased of himself, and Lucas's hopes plummeted. "The Onett Police Force are incompetent fools. They have their hands full with a computer bug in their system."

"What have we ever done to you?" Lucas blurted out, watching the Starmen. His pupils dilated in panic. "We didn't do anything!"

_Lucas, you're so naïve. _Claus dragged a hand down his face. _I honestly don't think Giygas barging in to kidnap us has anything to do with our school conduct._

_We don't know his motives,_ Shot the quick response. _It can't hurt to ask._

Giygas tapped his fingers against his desk. One, two, three, four. It was difficult to read his tone, but if one described it...it sounded almost happy. "I don't need two foolish children. One will do. I don't have a preference_._ Decide who will stay."

"We're not deciding. No way in hell_._" Clenching his fists in unbridled fury, Claus's voice dripped with venomous contempt. "What gives _you_ the right to tell us what to do?! You're a heartless jerk who does whatever he wants for his own sick pleasure!"

There was a horrible silence.

"Heartless, am I?" Giygas whispered.

Soft. Dangerous. Something about his sudden change in tone was unnerving. Giygas's frosty eyes flashed. The temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees. Chills crawled down Claus's spine.

"Very well. I'll show you how _heartless _I can be."

A jolt of sudden movement caught Claus's eye. One of the Starman had lunged at him with remarkable speed, metal arms extended to strike. Flinching in alarm, Claus raised his forearms against the painful blow-

But the blow never came.

Dodging past him, the Starman snatched a startled Lucas by the throat, then roughly dragged its prized victim upright. Gasping with surprise, Lucas scrabbled desperately at his neck, trying to pry off the thick, metal arms in vain-

"Lucas!"

With a cry, Claus bolted towards him, but Claus had barely taken two running steps in his direction before freezing with outstretched fingers. Several tranquilizer darts had clicked towards them, shivering ominously in their sockets, and if he had wanted to, Claus could simply bend over and pluck one out.

With a deep breath, Claus forced himself to relax. No sudden moves. The sharp, glinting needles were too close, _way_ too close. If Giygas knocked them both out, there was no way Claus could ensure his brother's safety.

"_Ah ah ah_," Giygas said condescendingly, shaking his head. "If I were you, I wouldn't take another step. My finger might accidentally _slip_ on the wrong button, and well...we wouldn't want anything _tragic _to happen to brother dearest, would we?"

"Let. Him. Go." Claus ground out. Giygas could've easily knocked both of them out in one volley, yet for some strange reason, he had refrained from shooting. _What on earth was he waiting for?_

Then the Calculus teacher gave a slow smirk, and Claus realized that he was toying with him. "What's the matter? You did call me a _heartless jerk. _I suppose I _can_ do whatever I want since it's for my _own sick pleasure."_

Claus bristled._ That...That **bastard!**_

With a lazy blink, Giygas reclined into his chair. "Observe my Starmen. Each one was hand-crafted in my own research facility." At Claus's frozen expression of pure loathing, Giygas's expression flickered as if finally registering the emotion. "Are you...upset? Foolish child. You should think before you act. I didn't want to consort to force, but you provoked me." A wicked smile grew on his cold features. "Of course, if you ask nicely, I might let your brother go."

"Claus, don't listen to him," Lucas warned, steadying his voice. "He's only messing with you." He winced as the other metal arm snaked around his torso, almost crushing his ribs with tight pressure. _I'll be fine. GO!_

Claus clenched his hands. _I'm not leaving you behind._ Hardening with resolve, Claus's eyes flickered back and forth. "You've got to be kidding me, Giygas," he said flatly. "Blackmail? This is underhanded, even for you."

Giygas forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Love drives us to do desperate things."

Claus narrowed his eyes at the patronizing tone, then steadied his shaking fists. He wasn't going to give Giygas the satisfaction of rattling him. "Leave my brother out of this," he said, eyes boring a hole into the crackling screen. "I can use PK Love too. Take me instead."

"Claus, no!" Lucas yelled, and immediately redoubled his struggling. "You can't-" Suddenly, Lucas gasped as the crushing force brutally tightened around his throat, cutting off his voice into a strangled gurgle.

"Are you trying to _bribe _me?" Giygas asked, throwing him an amused expression. His fingers tapped out a loud rhythm against the desk. "Why the sudden change of heart? After all, your first response wasn't very polite."

Lucas weakly kicked at his captor, but the Starman squeezed Lucas's throat tighter, forcing out harsh, throttled whimpers of pain. Smiling cordially, Giygas tapped a finger to his chin, taking savage pleasure at Claus's horrified look of helpless dismay. "Tell me, Claus. What exactly was your first reply to my offer? _No way in Hell?_"

Giygas's smile faded. His expression hardened. "I would be more careful if I were you. One of you is expendable. Why, I could _strangle_ your brother in front of your own eyes, if you make me _very unhappy_."

Lucas choked, his lips turning a pale shade of blue.

"NO! Please!" Terrified, Claus screeched in frenzied desperation and abandoned all pretense. "He didn't do anything to you!"

"He didn't." Giygas's eyes drew his full attention; there was a hypnotizing quality in those depths. "But you did."

"YOU _BASTARD!"_

Giygas tapped his fingers. "Wrong answer."

It happened before Claus heard it. With a snap and a crackle, a million bolts of electricity arched across skin in stabbing waves. Lucas jerked and writhed in pain, his mouth open in a pitiful cry-

Claus's scream instantly drowned him out. "No, stop! STOP! DON'T HURT HIM, PLEASE-!"

As quickly as it happened, the electricity stopped. Starved for air, Lucas fell limp in a half-strangled sob.

"Please," Claus whispered, clenching his shaking hands. "I'll do anything! P-Please, don't hurt him again-"

"You won't cause any more trouble?"

"I won't."

He didn't need to repeat himself twice; the Starman had released its metal grip. Lucas collapsed heavily onto the floor on all fours, retching and clutching at his sore throat.

In a heartbeat, Claus was at his side. "Lucas!" he cried out in alarm, and frantically hovered over his shuddering form like a mother hen. "Lucas, are you okay?"

_Yes, _was what Lucas had wanted to say, but considering that he had almost been strangled to death, his lungs were admittedly busy _trying to breathe _instead of _trying to talk_. However, Lucas wasn't one to leave his brother hanging, and managed to nod his head weakly.

At once, Claus pulled him into a fierce hug. Badly rattled and horrified, the elder twin choked on the emotions he had tried so hard to hold back. _Oh god, Lucas. I shouldn't have yelled at Giygas like that...H-He could've...you could've..._

Biting back a wince whenever Claus's arms brushed against his neck, the shaky blond buried himself into his brother's warm embrace. Rigid fingers clung onto the back of Claus's shirt, digging deep furrows into the cloth as Lucas steadied his breathing. Perhaps it was childish, but Lucas instinctively relaxed at his twin's touch; his brother's arms promised safety, and nothing could hurt him as long as Claus was here.

Suddenly, a pulse of unusually strong emotions washed over him, and Lucas shivered. Raw fear radiated from Claus in spiking waves, sending Lucas's psychic senses haywire. Troubled, Lucas glanced upwards to decipher his twin's expression, but Claus only put on a brave face. Even now, his older brother was trying to be strong for the two of them.

Lucas felt a pang of guilt. Unintentional or not, he had made his brother deeply upset. _Hey, _Lucas murmured, trying to soothe his panic-stricken brother. Lucas's bright blue eyes stared up reassuringly at him. _I'm fine. Honest._

After searching his face with worried eyes, Claus's tense expression finally softened. Letting out a shaky laugh of relief, he hugged him tighter. _Lying to my face? __You're the worst._

_That's why I'm not the troublemaker of the family. _

Claus rolled his eyes. _For someone half-strangled, you sure have a lot of sass._

Lucas poked at his shoulder with an easy grin, ignoring the painful burning sensation in his throat. He knew that he had succeeded when he felt his brother's grip relax.

Observing them, Giygas's impassive eyes seemed to flicker with an unreadable look. Was it pity? Regret? Whatever it was, the sentiment quickly vanished.

"You now know what I am capable of." Giygas spoke, making both the twins jump. "I am not above inflicting pain. I am not above underhanded tactics."

Shoulders shaking, Claus gripped his brother's hand tighter. Lucas silently squeezed his hand back.

The man leaned so close to the monitor that they could hear his breath crackle in static. "I sincerely regret giving you two a choice. This diplomatic approach is getting us nowhere. If you can't decide, then I'll just take both of you myself."

The Starmen aimed their projectiles with deadly accuracy. Then the silent, emotionless army of artificial matter advanced with glowing crimson eyes. Lucas squeezed his eyes shut in fear, and Claus instinctively wrapped his arms around him. _Don't look, Lucas. It'll be over soon, just don't look..._

"The tranquilizer darts might sting a little, but I'll make it quick. Good night, boys."

Then with an eerie whistle, the darts flew into the air, and Claus closed his eyes in defeat.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

A thunderous roar hit their ears.

"NOW NINTEN!"

"PK POWERSHIELD!" Ninten cried, and a revolving purple shield expanded to cover them all in the nick of time. Offensive PSI and other sharp objects pelted the crackling shield and bounced off harmlessly, shattering the windows and peppering the blackboard with holes. "Offense up!" he added for a good measure, and a flash of pulsating red light engulfed them all.

"What the-" Claus managed to say before he was interrupted by the thunderous _crack _of a bat ferociously smashing home into its metallic target. The unforgiving steel crumpled in with a nasty _crunch._

Ness flashed a bright grin that contrasted heavily with his dark, sooty face. "Well, that was a close call."

"Ness? Ninten?" Lucas managed to rasp, coughing as his throat burned. "H-How?"

"Long story," Ninten added, picking out an entire chunk of ash from his hair. Both boys looked like victims of a volcanic dust storm. "We met some company along the way."

Catching sight of the flickering video screen, Ness instantly adopted a defensive pose. "Giygas," he said coldly. "We won't let you get away with this."

Giygas gave Ness a hard look. "Stand aside."

Before Ness could retort back, he was immediately interrupted by a third voice.

"Why...?" Ninten croaked, staring at his uncle in horrified betrayal. A tortured expression roiled in his brown eyes. "_Why are you doing this?!_"

Giygas shifted uncomfortably at his outburst. Some of his wild energy seemed to have dissipated from earlier, and Giygas slumped over, weary and exhausted. "Give up," he said quietly. "You won't get past my forces easily."

"I don't think so," Ness snarled, already in motion.

With a shivering _shiiiiink,_ a yo-yo wrapped itself around the ankles of the nearest Starman. In one fluid motion, its owner harshly yanked back the string like a taut fishing line, and the sturdy string snapped straight, pinwheeling the Starman into its comrades with a loud thunderclap_._ With a high-pitched screech of metal on metal, the squealing line of robots toppled over. Puffs of dust escaped from the ground.

Ness's eyes suddenly glowed a bright, royal violet. Hot white sparks furiously flooded his entire torso.

"Clear out!" Ninten yelled, staggering over to pull the stunned twins out of the way.

"PKaaaaay..." Dramatically summoning an air-guitar with the flick of the wrist, Ness strummed its invisible strings. "ROOOOOOCKIN'!"

Multicolored, psychedelic beams of light bombarded their eyes as immense sound waves of heavy metal screamed into their eardrums. The resulting explosion blasted all the Starmen off their feet, dismantling them in a pile of gunk.

Stuck for a loss of words, the twins could only stare dumbly at the magnificent display of raw PSI.

But their worries were far from over.

"Incoming!" Ninten screamed, pointing at another fleet of buzzing Starmen through the shattered windows.

Swearing, Ness pulled Lucas to his feet, then grabbed his hand. "No time to explain. Hold on _tight!"_

"But C-Claus-!" Lucas stammered.

Darting into the wreckage, Ninten wasted no time to yank Claus over by the collar of his shirt.

"AUUGH! Ninten, what the hell-"

The capped boy materialized at their side, grabbing Ness's other arm. "I've got Claus. Now let's move!"

The Starmen groaned, picking themselves off from the ground. Red eyes bored into them, struggling to reboot their downed systems.

Giygas's image fizzled and popped. Sparking madly, the speakers died before the sound flickered back. An awful, distorted groan erupted from the screen. "This isn't over yet." Cold eyes bored into Ninten's back. "Ken."

_"NESS!"_ Ninten shrieked.

Snapping out of his frozen reverie, Ness dragged them all out into the corridor with alarming strength. He began to sprint down the empty aisle; classrooms and tiles melted into shapeless blocks of color around them. Ness's body glowed in heat as a flurry of hot, spiraling sparks consumed his blurred feet. In a wild scream of buffeting air and adrenaline, Ness hit 40...50...80 miles an hour...!

Then there was nothing left but a black spot of charred ash.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

They had gotten away.

"You have made yourself a grave enemy, Ken. Your ignorance will be your undoing."

Giygas rose from his seat, ignoring the cacophony of mechanical hums and whirrs. Delicate fingers snagged the edge of an old photograph, and lifted it up to his eyes.

A lost smile. A cold warmth.

"You can't hide the twins from me forever. My plans will come to fruition. I will succeed."

Tortured eyes stared into the depths of the frame with a freezing fire. The tiny frame shook madly in his fingers, fragile glass threatening to shatter in its tight grip.

"I will succeed," Giygas repeated, and black pupils hardened into twin, unforgiving orbs of obsidian.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It was quiet. _Too_ quiet.

There was no question about what they were all brooding about. The recent ambush, the unspoken confrontation with Giygas...it left all them shaky on their feet.

Ness might not have been an expert at telepathy, but the overbearing sense of heavy guilt weighing down on them was hard to miss. He glanced backwards to see how his friends were faring: Lucas was not too far behind, closely followed by a Claus who never seemed to stray more than a foot away from his brother. Trailing behind, Ninten guarded the back of the line glumly. The baseball captain then kicked a pebble aside, wearily continuing to trudge up the sloped forest.

After he had teleported them to the outskirts of the city, the four had immediately taken to the wilderness in search of safety. It wasn't until they had sprinted a sufficient distance away from the highway that they took a break, panting heavily under the green foliage. For the first time since then, Ness had finally studied Lucas and Claus up close, and to say that they looked beaten up was an understatement. Claus looked as if some crazy madman had tried to burn off half his hair with a blowtorch, and Lucas...

_Ness's alarmed eyes widened sharply into the size of dinner plates. "Holy shit, what happened to your voice, Lucas? You sound like Darth Vader!" He worriedly jabbed a finger in his direction. "And what's that on your neck?!"_

_Everyone's alert gaze was now fixed on the younger twin. Lucas looked unnerved by the sudden attention, surreptitiously covering his throat with his hands. "It's just a small bruise," he tried to laugh off. "I can heal it."_

_Immediately, Claus had marched over. Before Lucas could react, Claus had pried both of his hands away, exposing his skin._

_Ness had heard Claus's sharp intake of breath and curiously leaned forward. An unpleasant sight hit his eyes. Grotesque, greenish-purple bruises lined Lucas's throat like thin dark stripes, and the unpleasant bands clearly stood out against his pale skin. Claus tentatively brushed against one with a finger, and Lucas flinched, letting out a hiss of pain._

_"Lucas...Did my uncle do that to you?" Ninten asked weakly. Lucas hesitated, not knowing how to respond, but that was all it needed for Ninten's face to fall._

_Claus clenched his teeth in anger. "I'm gonna kill that bastard-"_

_"It's only a bruise!" Lucas roughly shoved his brother's hands away. The harsh rasp coming out of his throat was barely decipherable. It didn't even sound remotely like the blond at all. In fact, it sounded as if someone had swapped his voice with the croak of a dying frog. __"PK Healing." The awful bruises vanished with a tingle of green sparks. "See?" Lucas voiced out, sounding completely normal. "It's no big deal."_

_"It's no big deal?" Ness emphasized incredulousy. "What happened to you guys?"_

Claus had clamped up with a stony expression on his face. Lucas had oddly looked reluctant to answer as well, so the baseball captain dropped the unpleasant subject. He did have a horrible suspicion, but didn't voice it. Whatever had happened back there with Giygas had left Claus silently bristling with hostility, and Lucas quietly lost in his thoughts.

But Ness didn't have time to pry before Ninten had dropped another nuke. Looking as if someone had just died, Ninten had taken a deep breath, then looked him square in the face.

_"Pokey was the spy."_

No. It couldn't have been.

But the more he thought about it...the more sense it made.

Pokey was the spy.

The words echoed through his brain like a death gong.

_"Pokey was the spy," Ninten muttered._

_Claus scowled. "Why didn't any of us see this coming?" He kicked a stone. "That stupid...ARGH!"_

_"How did you find out?" Ness asked. His stomach twisted unpleasantly._

_"I bumped into him on my way to find you, Ness. He was a wreck," Ninten said quietly. "For some reason, he must have changed his mind and wanted out. But Giygas had blackmailed him into it by kidnapping Picky. Ness...When Giygas figured out you were psychic, he must have had additional blackmail on top of that."_

_"A likely excuse," Claus snarled. He didn't sound very sympathetic, especially after the four of them had been nearly turned into living pincushions. Claus threw his arms into the air. "Ugh, it was POKEY! I should've known he was up to something!"_

_"Stop it, Claus," Ness cut in coldly. "I don't forgive him for what he's done, but I can't imagine what he had to endure this entire time-"_

_"Well gee, I wonder how tough it must have been to sell us out and ALMOST FRY US INTO CRISP!"_

_"He did it to save his brother," Ninten said bluntly. "If Giygas had kidnapped Lucas and threatened to torture him, wouldn't you have done the same, Claus?"_

_Claus opened his mouth, but froze. All his fury seemed to have burned out, replaced by horror. He finally closed his mouth, sharing an uncomfortable look with Lucas. His younger brother averted his gaze to study his shoes, and Claus swallowed hard._

_The unspoken admission hung heavily in the air like a disease. _

_Out loud, however, Claus muttered, "Maybe. But still, I wouldn't have sold you guys out," he added defensively. _

_Ninten didn't have the heart to respond, and had left the conversation at that._

Speaking of Ninten, Ness could feel his stewing agitation stirring up the air. Ninten's disquietude was an alarming change from his usual optimism. Giygas's betrayal had hit him hard, and for a skilled telepath, Ninten had been unable to hold back the flurry of dark thoughts pouring out of his mind in twisted waves. Ness couldn't help but feel a pang of pity.

Suddenly, Claus came to a halt. "Stop that!" he snapped, turning around. "Your thoughts are hurting my head."

"Sorry," Ninten grunted, and the volume of teenage angst decreased noticeably. Even so, Ninten was unable to hide all of his emotions. Sinking dread that didn't belong to him crept back into Ness's mind, and Ness let out a long sigh. If Ninten didn't get his feelings sorted out soon, he was going to snap, and an angry telepath was the last thing they needed in the wilderness.

Ness stopped in his tracks too. "Ninten..."

"_Don't_," Ninten snapped. He cupped his face in his trembling hands. "I can't believe I trusted Giygas...This is all my fault."

Their hearts all gave a nasty twinge at Ninten's broken voice.

"It's not your fault-" Ness began.

"How is it not my fault?" Ninten whipped around, eyes filled with self-loathing of the highest degree. Gone was any trace of the mischievous humor, gone was the optimism he seemed to possess. "I should've confronted him at the dinner when I had the chance." Ninten gripped his hair in his fists. "Or maybe if I'd gotten over my stupid jealousy over Poo, I could've helped him and Ana at the Halloween Dance. AUGH, I can't believe it! I'm such an idiot-"

"NINTEN! What are you talking about? " Ness barked, all vestiges of self-control gone now. "You're completely innocent!"

"OH, REALLY?! If you haven't noticed, my uncle is a freakin' _psychopath!"_ Ninten screamed, tortured eyes flaring up. His outburst stunned all of them. Sparks of agitated PSI jumped across his hands. "You even pointed out that he seemed suspicious, and I ignored you! I'm a good-for-nothing, useless, lying prick!"

All the unspoken frustration from the day had piled up.

Whirling around, Ness flew over to his face. "Shut up!" He clenched his teeth. "Shut up, just shut up, Ninten!"

"Don't tell me to _shut up _when you know who the major _screw-up _is!"

"If you want to blame someone, then blame me! I'm the culprit! Pokey turned everyone in because he wanted to save _me!"_

"He was working under _Giygas!"_

"Yeah, but you said it yourself! Pokey first started working for him out of his own will." Ness closed his eyes, unable to stand the awful guilt clawing at his insides. "I could've talked to him. I could've done _something_...but I didn't. You spent _days _trying to track Lucas and Claus down. You did your best to help, Ninten, but what have I ever done?" Ness blinked back tears of frustration. "All I've done is hurt my friends."

Running his hands through his unruly hair, Ness turned away from them in shame. Feeling his friends' accusatory stares boring into his back, he squirmed in growing apprehension, waiting for anyone to speak up. Soon, there was a sharp crunch of gravel.

Ness flinched.

But all he felt was a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You're both wrong," Lucas said quietly.

Startled, Ness looked into Lucas's eyes. There was no blame or anger in those depths.

Lucas lowered his head, staring at the ground. "You and Ninten saved our lives. If it wasn't for you, we...we-"

"We could've been next," Claus finished. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Look, I don't know why you two invited us front seats to a goddamn pity party, but this is ridiculous. Ness, you just saved our sorry hides by teleporting us across half the city. And Ninten..." Ninten winced as Claus fixed icy glare on him. "I totally agree. You're an idiot-"

"Gee, thanks," Ninten said sarcastically, rubbing his head.

"-but who the hell cares if Giygas is your uncle? I mean, I guess it sucks to be you-"

Ninten glared at him. "Not. Helping. Claus."

"-but it's not like you tried to shoot our bodies full of tranquilizer darts!" Claus crossed his arms. "Sometimes, it's moments like _these _that make me wonder how you passed your exams."

There was a stunned pause after Claus's heated rant. It was probably the first time he had said a pep talk. A terrible one, but a pep talk nonetheless.

Ninten narrowed his eyes. "You're awful at comforting people."

Claus burned a bright red. "You were asking for it!" he snapped.

To their surprise, Ninten threw his head back and laughed. His vampire grin had slid back onto his face. "You don't have to tell me, Claus. I get it. Really." Ninten stuck his hands into his pockets, pawing the dirt with his shoe. "I need time to think over all this."

"Whenever you're ready," Lucas said gently.

"Thanks." Ninten didn't sound convinced, but his hunched shoulders had relaxed. The violent, dark mood had all but vanished, replaced by an air of quiet pondering. Ninten broke it with a loud snort. "Yeah, no. Claus, leave the pep talk to Lucas. You're absolutely terrible at it."

Claus looked two seconds away from losing it.

Lucas's mouth threatened to quirk upwards. "Well...I guess you get an A for effort. You tried."

"_Tried_ being the key word." Ninten bit back a grin.

Claus bared his teeth. "Why, you little-"

"I hate to interrupt your lover's quarrel," Ness quipped, and both Claus and Ninten simultaneously turned around to throw him a dirty look.

"Shut up, Ness," they snapped in sync.

"-but we need to find shelter," Ness finished, miraculously managing to keep a straight face. He eyed the purple evening sky. "It's getting dark, and we need to turn in for the night. Besides, I've had enough action for one day."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

After another half-hour of digging around, they had eventually made camp in a damp, rocky cave sheltered by a voluminous oak tree. A magical, smokeless fire heated their toes - courtesy of Ness's PK fire - and the four boys curled up against the crackling warmth. Thankfully, the PSI was undetected, and the fire was small enough not to be seen easily from outside. It was a perfect location; it was difficult for anyone to spot them through the foliage, yet they had an easy view of their surroundings. Ness could vaguely see the city lights twinkling in the distance, and the blurred whooshing of cars speeding down the highway. His stomach twinged with homesickness.

But if they had not been fearing for their lives, this camp-out was remarkably similar to the boy scout outings Ness had remembered attending at a younger age. Minus the smores, the _I'm-going-to-faint-at-any-second _exhaustion, and the imminent feeling of possible death.

Good times.

"So..." Lucas stared into the dancing fire. "What now?"

They all fell quiet. The fire illuminated their exhausted, worried faces. Ness fiddled with the brim of his hat absentmindedly. "Well, we didn't plan this far ahead in time-"

"-and we didn't expect you two to be targeted so soon," Ninten added with a wince.

"Whatever we do, heading back to the city is definitely out of the question," Claus pointed out, motioning to the smoke drifting from the horizon. "Even if the authorities had no idea we were involved, Giygas knows that we can use PK Love." Claus laughed bitterly. "Returning there now would be like turning ourselves in."

"But why does he want us so badly?" Lucas asked worriedly. "You two are clearly more powerful than we are-"

"Your psychic potential is off-the-charts. Both of you can use PK Love. That's what he's after," Ninten interrupted. "You're just not as experienced as us yet, but I could still sense your PSI pretty easily from the other side of the school."

Lucas and Claus shared an uneasy look. "You know-" Claus began.

"Don't even think about it," Ninten cut in casually. "We're not going to abandon you two to fend for yourselves."

"Guys, think carefully," Lucas said desperately. "If you two hang out with us, we'd only put you in danger-"

"We _are_ thinking carefully, Lucas," Ness pointed out. "Ninten and I have nowhere to go. We've been marked down by Giygas, and even if he doesn't come after us, we can't return to school either. Everyone's probably realized that we've gone missing. If we reappeared without warning, they'd ask questions. Besides," Ness cut in before Lucas could interrupt. "Where will you two go? How well can you use PSI? Do you even _know_ how to control your powers properly?"

Reluctantly, Lucas shook his head.

"See!" Ninten exclaimed, gesturing wildly at the twins. "If we left you two alone, then I bet both of you wouldn't last a second out here!"

"Says the person with no backup plan," Claus shot back. He rattled off a list with his fingers. "We have no supplies, no shelter, no idea where we are, no idea where to go next-"

"Okay, we don't, but you get the point," Ness interrupted. "If we stick together and watch each other's backs, we'd have an easier time fending off those Starmen. We know that the Starmen have a limited detection range, so as long as we don't draw attention by using PSI within their radius, we should be okay for now."

A wordless exclamation cut through the clearing. With shaky hands, Ninten held up Giygas's document in surprise. "I-I...It just reacted again to my PSI," he stammered, pointing at the sheet of paper.

Ness's eyes widened. "Ninten! That's incredible!" He snatched up the map. "This looks like a blueprint to some government building..."

"Giygas's research facility!" Ninten added, waving his arms. "He told me that he owned one near the base of Holy Loly mountain! That's where he manufactures his Starmen."

"Then Paula, Poo, and Ana might be there too! That's perfect!" Ness grimly flipped his cap upright. "Then it's settled. We're heading there first thing in the morning."

This announcement was met with much unenthusiastic response.

"What?!" Ninten blurted out, almost toppling into the fire from shock. _"Tomorrow?_"

"That sounds like a great idea," Claus said sarcastically. "Let's wear ourselves out nice and dandy before landing right on Giygas's front step. Just how stupid are you, Ness?"

Ness smacked a banana into his face. "Look, food! Now shut up and listen."

His three friends immediately fell silent at the familiar "_I-have-a-crazy-plan" _glint in his eye, and exchanged a knowing glance. The baseball captain's unorthodox ways of thinking and leadership had narrowly won them several matches out in the field. Even under impossible circumstances, Ness always seemed to know what to do, whipping out a miraculous solution from under his baseball cap. Normally this approach didn't work well with Claus, who tended to be very logical and practical-minded, but even he had to admit that Ness normally knew what he was doing.

"Believe it or not, I actually have supplies. I was walking home with groceries before I got attacked." Ness studied the map in his hands. "According to this blueprint, it looks like getting to the research facility will take us two and a half days, tops. I have enough food to last us for the trip. We can stock up at the research facility. The facility's close enough to buy supplies from the city, but far enough that anyone would store them somewhere." Sitting up triumphantly, Ness finished his point. "Besides, what better lead do we have?"

Ninten and Lucas shared a brief glance. Ness did raise a fair point...

"Since the kidnapped students might be there, we might as well check it out," Lucas finally said.

"That's the spirit!" Ness seemed to be completely invigorated by the sudden hope of freeing his friends. Violet eyes sparked with that determination that they knew no one could break. "Who knows? We might even find something useful about Giygas's motives while we're at it!"

"Besides world domination?" Claus snorted, crossing his arms.

"I suppose. Why the heck not?" Ninten suddenly blurted out. The last thing he wanted was his uncle harming anyone else. He wasn't going to let that happen again. At least, not on his watch. The mention of Giygas seemed to have revitalized his determination, and Ninten grimly clenched his fists. "We have to find out what Giygas is up to, and stop his plans."

Three pairs of eyes flew expectantly on Claus. Realizing that he was outnumbered, the elder twin shot them a sour scowl.

"Fine! Then don't come crying to me when one of you faints from hunger," Claus snapped. He turned away, muttering under his breath. "Idiots. I can't believe we all attend the same high school..."

"Oh, Claus. Cheer up!" Ninten said, brightly swinging an arm around his shoulder. "Think about it. Saving the universe from my crazy uncle or doing homework?"

"Homework."

"Ah, but we're technically expelled from school," Ninten said smugly. "Your reasoning is flawed."

"Hooray," Claus deadpanned. "We're officially homeless highschool dropouts. I'm _so _happy."

"Wait, no!" Lucas squeaked, clutching his face. He looked downright horrified. "That means we can't go to college!"

They all took one look at his terrified expression, then burst out laughing.

"Sorry, Lucas," Ness gasped, pounding a fist against the floor. "I can't, I-" He erupted into another fit of roaring laughter.

Ninten rested a reassuring hand on Lucas's shoulder. "That's okay, Lucas. Then we can all live fruitful lives working at the local fast food restaurant." A dreamy look entered his eye, and Ninten swished a free hand into the air, painting out the fictitious scene. "Voila! Burger-flipping, low wages, and awful customers aplenty!"

Claus rolled his eyes. "Seriously though, Lucas. Our lives are kind of at stake here, and you worry about getting our high school diploma."

"I'm not worried," Lucas blurted out defensively. His cheeks were tinged a bright pink. "I'm just afraid for our futures!"

Claus smirked. "_Sure_. Whatever you say."

"But...I really don't miss the homework," Lucas admitted, pondering with a smile.

Ness and Ninten released simultaneous, horrified gasps.

"Oh no! What have we _done_?" Ness cried out, waving his arms frantically.

"We've corrupted him!" Ninten lamented. He set the back of his palm against his forehead. "The world must be ending! Lucas actually _hates_ homework?!"

"Don't worry, buddy! I'll save you!" Ness shouted heroically, swinging an arm around Lucas's other shoulder. The blonde stifled his laughs as the baseball captain whispered conspiratorially in his ear. "Once all this craziness is over, I promise you'll love homework again."

"Dude." Claus threw Ness and Ninten an annoyed glance. "Back off. You guys are literally smothering him."

"Aaaaaaand the overprotective brother is back." Grinning like an idiot, Ninten ushered him over. "Claus, stop being such a downer and join in on the fun!"

"No," came the blunt response. Claus rolled over on the ground. "I'm getting some sleep before we decide to do whatever hare-brained scheme Ness cooked up today. Good night."

"But _Claus,"_ Ninten whined.

"Actually, he's right. We should get some sleep," Ness stated, glancing at his watch. "We're in for a long two days of hiking starting tomorrow."

Ninten yawned. "I guess you're right," he admitted before curling up against a corner. "'kay then, I'm turning in for the night."

"Likewise," Lucas finally responded, lying down on the cold, stone floor. "See you guys in the morning."

Soon, all conversation was replaced with the crackling of the dying fire. All of them tried to wrestle away their restless worries, hoping that they would be given a brief reprieve from consciousness.

But as much as they tried, the sound of sleep was strangely absent that night.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Wiping the dirty rag against his brow, Flint wearily trudged inside the house. As he finally sat down after a long day of work, he helped himself to a refreshing cup of water. Gulping down the cold liquid in huge draughts, he leaned on the wooden dining chair with a sigh. Hopefully the extra pumpkins he had planted would fully mature before the cold of winter kicked in. He hoped his sons would be ecstatic to try out some homemade, piping-hot pumpkin soup for the chilly season.

...Speaking of which, the house was oddly quiet. Where were his sons?

Flint clambered upstairs slowly, and firmly knocked the closed bedroom door. When he heard no response, he gently turned the knob. To his surprise, two empty beds met his line of vision.

Trudging back down into the kitchen, Flint checked out each room in the house, and to his growing disquiet, still found no sign of his sons. The man frowned, stealing a glance at the clock. _Nine O' clock_...

They were definitely not with Alec. The old man had embarked on a fishing trip and left about a week ago. Lucas and Claus should've been home by now. Judging from his quick mental calculations, Lucas and Claus would have ridden the city bus home, and the last bus from the school campus would've brought his boys back home by 6:00 PM at the very latest.

Perhaps Claus had gone straight to a friend's house to work on his solar car after his detention and neglected to tell his father. It wouldn't have been the first time.

Then why was Lucas absent as well? Claus, he could understand, but Lucas was not the type to leave him hanging. Flint's relationship with Claus was strained at best, but even so, his youngest son would always have some explanation for his twin's absence. And to add to that, Flint had heard strange rumors of students going missing from the local highschool.

But there was no way his sons would fall victim to those kidnappings. They were smart enough to arrive home before dusk.

Uneasily, Flint glanced at the clock again.

Just as he reached that conclusion, he jumped when a series of sharp rapping sounds hit the front door. Heaving a sigh, Flint donned his dull brown boots and stowed away his worries. It must be his sons; he was sure of it. Perhaps they had forgotten their keys at home.

After all, who else would stop by at such a late hour?

"Police Department here."

With a stunned jolt, Flint wrenched open the door. Instantly, he came face to face with two pairs of gleaming authoritative badges and official blue uniforms. The officer with the pointed beard looked up at him indifferently, then consulted his notepad. "Are you...Mr. Flint?"

He nodded silently in confusion.

"Husband to the deceased Hinawa and father to the twins, Claus and Lucas?"

"Yes." Flint hesitated. That strange feeling of dread crept up his spine. "...Is something wrong, officers?"

The two officers exchanged a brief look of solemnity before turning their attention to him. "There was an incident."

_An incident._

"Where at?" Flint asked quietly.

"The local school."

_No. _

"There was another kidnapping of four students..."

_No, it couldn't be true!_

"...and your sons are two of the missing."

Flint's breath hitched in his throat.

Stumbling backwards as though struck, Flint stared at the officers, who said nothing to contradict their statement. His trembling knees weakened and threatened to buckle, so Flint held his head in his hands and sank shakily into the nearby couch. First denial seized him, before devolving into panic.

Please..._Please_ let it be some cruel joke...

The officer with the pointed beard softened his gaze. "I'm sorry, sir," he said quietly, resting a consoling hand on his shoulder. But Flint didn't notice, already lost in his downward spiral of emotions.

_My sons are missing. _

This was a father's worst nightmare.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Lucas awoke abruptly with a startled gasp.

His heart hammering quickly in his ribcage, Lucas lay against the cool, hard stone, trying to calm his breathing. As the seconds ticked past, Lucas slowly felt his initial panic fade into the peaceful night. Glancing over, he was relieved to note that Ness and Ninten were out cold, dozing soundly against the floor.

**1:21 AM**, Ness's glowing watch read from the side.

Behind him, he registered Claus's low breathing. Quietly, Lucas scooted over next to him, drinking in his brother's presence.

Claus was alive. There was no need to worry.

Shuddering, Lucas hugged himself, trying to blink the horrible nightmare from his eyes. But he couldn't forget the image of his brother being impaled through the chest over...and over...and over. It felt like the dream was branded to his eyelids, and he was scared to sleep. Resigning himself to another day of insomnia, Lucas stared up at the rocky cave ceiling.

"Lucas?" Claus stirred on the ground, blinking the sleep from his eyes. He yawned groggily, stretching his lanky arms out like a cat. "Why are you up so early?"

Lucas thought that it was both a blessing and a curse that Claus was a _very_ sensitive sleeper. For one, Lucas slept like a dead rock. If it weren't for his early-rising brother, he probably would have missed the alarm too many times. On the other hand, that also meant Claus woke up easily at any disturbance. Even at the slightest _peep_, Claus would have leaped out of bed, wide-awake and ready to go.

"Sorry, Claus," Lucas murmured, feeling guilty. He shifted over. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Claus waved his hand flippantly. "You didn't wake me. I was still trying to sleep." Icy blue eyes bored into his. "So, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I think the floor's too cold," Lucas lied lamely, averting his eyes. He internally winced as another pang of guilt flashed through his mind.

But Claus saw through his facade in a heartbeat. "Dude," he murmured, patting the ground next to him. "If it's another nightmare, I won't judge."

Lucas's cheeks burned. "No, it's not, Claus," he said quietly. He hadn't talked to his brother about this particular nightmare yet, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell Claus now. Declining the offered space, Lucas crawled over to the other side of the cave and lay down. "The air's a lot warmer at this end," Lucas lied. "I'm fine. Go to sleep."

Claus rolled his eyes at his brother's back. "_I'm fine._ Right. Seriously, Lucas, you can be as stubborn as hell."

_I want to be brave like you. I want to be strong like you, _Lucas wanted to say. _I don't want you to worry about me. I'm just a dead weight, and I'm not worth the trouble. _But how was he supposed to say that out loud? Lucas felt utterly useless, but if he admitted it, Claus would only vehemently shoot the comment back down.

So Lucas said nothing, and Claus remained silent. Thinking that his twin brother had finally given up his interrogation, Lucas closed his eyes, hoping for sweeter dreams.

But suddenly, Lucas felt a pair of arms tightly clamp around his chest. Something wet dampened the back of his shirt.

Wide-eyed in surprise, Lucas froze. "Claus?"

For several seconds, there was only the sound of heavy breathing. Then after a moment of hesitation, Claus breathed shakily. "Lucas, y-you have no idea...when Giygas cornered us today...I-" he suddenly cut himself off.

"...Claus? Are you okay?" Lucas whispered, rolling over. For a second, Claus looked scared - even _frightened -_ but Lucas must have been imagining things, because almost immediately, the emotionless mask flitted back into place.

"You're right. The air is a lot warmer here," Claus said abruptly, turning over on his side. "Night, Lucas."

For some reason, Lucas felt his heart grow heavier. "Good night, Claus," he whispered, and sank back under turbulent dreams.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hey y'all. ;) Look who's back after an entire month?**

**Thank you for the final exam well-wishes. Likewise, I hope all of you are surviving your exams too. :)**

**Again, sorry for that last cliffhanger! It might sound like I'm randomly sitting in front of my laptop, rubbing my hands and evilly cackling, "YES. I will put this cliffhanger here to torture all my readers. How _delicious_!" But in reality, I do have a plot in place, and the cliffhanger just happened to fall at the end of that particular chapter. :x Oops.**

**Oh. My. Pork. This chapter was by far the hardest to get right. I wrote two other alternate chapters, but couldn't decide on one to pick, so I ended up mashing aspects from all three. Maybe I should compile all the deleted scenes and post them as a separate chapter when I finish this story...Anyways, as of now, this chapter marks the half-way point of the story (estimating 20-25 chapters). And speaking of which, I should probably start sketching a cover picture for this story on Paint SAI or something. :x Double oops.**

**And finally, one of you has cornered me and asked me the dreaded (just kidding) question: Will there be any pairings in this story?**

**My answer is no. ****I've never written Romance before (Trust me, you do not want me to try). Personally, I also wrote this story without any pairings in mind. Combined with my inexperience, pairings would only complicate the plot (which is already convoluted enough to begin with), and I would prefer to avoid that. ****On the other hand, I know there's already been some subtle NintenXAna and NessXPaula hints earlier, but no romantic pairing will be formally announced. **

**I believe that literature should be interpreted in the eyes of the beholder. ****So yeah, keep whatever pairing you love; I won't take it away from you. **

**Finally onto your reviews! **

**SMF: Thanks! Don't feel guilty D: And yeah, sorry about that mean cliffhanger. DX But now we know what happens next! :D And yeah, it took Pokey 6 chapters to finally speak up. It was so agonizing to write**

**Thatfaunkid: Hehehe plot twists. *Inserts evil grin here* I think so far though, I only had two or three in the story. xD And wow, I'm flattered that you made an account for this story. Hopefully the future chapters won't disappoint. :)**

**NintenGirl9x: Thanks for your kind words. :) Yeah, I spent as much time as I could to perfect this chapter. It's been a while; hopefully it transitions well with the previous one DX And yeah, I realize I have a weird tendency for making things go wrong for the characters all the time. DX I'm such a pessimist haha**

**OXYD: That, my friend, is a secret for another time. ;)**

**KaguTheGreat: Oh no, I'm a horrible person! D: *Runs away into corner crying* Just kidding. But in all seriousness, I decided to give the Starmen PSI Block (that'd be _disastrous_ in-game D:). I thought that made things more complicated...and much more interesting ;D**

**PKPlotTwist: Haha thank you. :) I don't know about "one of the best," but this story is an awesome stress-reliever. ;D But seriously, I laughed so hard at your very subtle coughing. xD To answer your question though, *cough cough* yes *cough* Kumatora will make an appearance at some point :)**

**Angel-woof: *Holds you back from* NOO! Stahp! You'll run out of tables to flip over and walls to punch at this rate! DX We're only half-way through the story! But I'm glad to see you're keeping your mind open about every possibility ;D And dude, your guess is pretty close: I'm a Biochem major :) But Chemistry ftw~ **

**FalconerET: Thanks! The metaphor suddenly hit me at one point, and I had to write it down. I'm glad it worked out well; at first it seemed like an awesome idea, but it progressively sounded less cool as I typed it down DX. And dude. O_O Your dreams foretell the future? *Bows down* Please teach me your ways!**

**Guest: Thank you! Um...I think it'll be a while before we see Pokey again, and a Pokey vs. Giygas fight scene in the story would sound a little out of place. I didn't want to leave you empty-handed, though, so I made this really random crack!fic for you yesterday at two in the morning:**

**"**En garde!" Pokey yelled, swishing his medieval sword in front of him like a light saber.

Giygas narrowed his eyes. "Tally ho!" he cried, tripping over his heavily-armoured foot. Immediately, he fell flat on his face. Spitting out mud, Giygas nursed his sore ankle. "Curses! Why are we fighting with outdated, inefficient weaponry in the middle of nowhere?"

*Author shrugs and continues sipping orange juice*

"Thou shall not escape from me, you insolent knave!" Pokey cried pompously. He pointed his sword at the downed man. His finger trembled dramatically. "I'll show you the TRUE power of PSI!"

Giygas's eyes widened. "No! Anything but that!"

Pokey grinned, a sinister glint in his eye. "Oh," he cackled. "I can do _anything_, Giygas." Pokey raised his hands into the air. "Prepare to be blasted into oblivion!"

"NO!" Giygas howled, and Pokey drank in his demise with pure glee.

"BEEEEKAAAAAY WHOPPER!"

Then everything turned into burgers and everyone lived fat and happily ever after. The End.

**Sorry. Overused joke is overused. I'm never writing crack!fic again...and why am I even writing at two in the morning I honestly don't even know anymore asfhdsioghwefgr**

**StarrySkys102: Dude, it's okay if your predictions are correct. xD I honestly don't mind; it encourages more discussion about the story! :) But the real question is _if_ your the prediction was right ;D**

**JustMeHi: Haha you might want to read chapters 10-11 for your answers. :) I posted chapters 10-12 on the same week, so it's totally understandable if you accidentally missed the first two. xD Hmm...I have written 4 completed stories total in other western animation fandoms. Along with this story, I am also writing an Earthbound/Hogwarts crossover (which I need to work on at some point triple oops DX). But glad to know you're interested. :)**

**MyXD: Yeah! Now Ness finally knows Lucas and Claus have PK Love! xD Thank gods, that took forever haha**

**CrankySky: *Struck by your PK Love and gets concussion* DX But yeah, poor Claus. Hopefully he doesn't magically turn evil or anything. That'd be awful. D:**

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer here]**

* * *

**...And code time.**

**Remember this nice code from Chapter 11?**

_Command Input: 16111215225_

_For[161515, 1141;_

_10, 16:00]_

_Command Input: 16111215225_

_For[1461919;_

_108, 14:30]_

**It was nothing really serious, but just something I wanted to try out. So the answer: The "Colonated" numbers represent times. So for example, 16:00 = 4:00 PM. Substitute the other numbers with letters, where 1= A, 2 = B, and so on. Therefore, you would get the following data:**

_Command Input: PKLOVE_

_For[Poo, Ana;_

_T, 4:00 PM]_

_Command Input: PKLOVE_

_For[Ness;_

_Th, 2:30 PM]_


	14. ARC II: BEIN' FRIENDS

**.**

_**~ARC II: BEIN' FRIENDS~**_

**.**

* * *

**Setting:**** _Past_.**

The golden envelope sat on the windowsill.

Soft opera music filtered into the air from his phone. _Habenera _by Carmen.

Clad in jeans and a t-shirt, Lucas lay in bed, staring intently at the dust-covered ceiling. But as much as he tried, the prestigious envelope drew in his eyes like a heavy magnet. Sinking in conflicted turmoil, Lucas did his best to drink in the music and escape from reality.

With about a week of summer break left before the start of high school, Lucas and Claus had headed over to the local super to buy "Back-to-School" supplies. A normal day with normal intentions. Needless to say, after lugging over bags of college-ruled paper and _number 2_ pencils, Lucas was taken aback by his brother's sudden appearance at the foot of the stairs.

"This is for you," Claus called up, waving a strange envelope in his hand. "It's from the Mayor of Summers."

"The Mayor of _Summers?"_

"That's what I said."

An unusual surprise.

"Huh." Lucas dumbly reached for the golden envelope, fingering the pretentious red seal and ornate ink lettering. "Are you sure that this isn't a prank?"

"That's what I thought too, but the seal's genuine." Claus nudged him in the shoulder. "Go on. Open it so we can read what it says!"

Lucas unfolded the envelope with a penknife, then plopping its contents open, dragged out the crisp-letterheaded paper. Over his shoulder, Claus leaned over, reading the tiny words printed on the letter with a frown. Their combined awe and astonishment only grew as their eyes traveled farther down the elegant scroll of penmanship.

_Mr. Lucas,_

_I have always been a fan of the DCMC. While you did not perform in any of their concerts, I do remember you as the young student under Lucky's mentorship. __My curiosity was sparked when I was informed of your vocal accomplishments, and last April, I attended your international rendition of **Nella Fantasia** in Eagleland. Your interpretation of opera highly impressed me, and thus, s__peaking not as a Mayor but rather as a passionate connoisseur of the vocal arts, I find myself writing to you with a humble request._

_Although internal affairs are currently keeping me busy, I would be honored if you can provide a solo rendition of **Nella Fantasia** during the International Summers Music Festival in June next year. Your air fare and accommodations will be funded, and generous financial aid will be offered to any guests of your choosing. This includes your family and friends. As you know very well, DCMC has always been invited annually to perform at the festival, and we welcome you both with open arms. _

_If you wish to attend, __mail me your response by the **31st of December. **__More details will be sent to you by my personal secretary._

_Eagerly awaiting your response,  
__The Mayor of Summers__  
_

"Holy crap, Lucas," Claus breathed. "This is an amazing opportunity."

"Oh. Wow." Shell-shocked, Lucas stared at the golden envelope less eagerly. "That's...great."

Catching the change in tone, Claus frowned. "What's wrong?"

Lucas looked up from the letter clutched in his hands. "The festival's going to be held next June."

"So?"

"You wouldn't be able to attend," Lucas said quietly. "You're leaving for your National Biomedical Engineering Program in May, and you won't be back until mid-July."

Claus's face fell. "Oh bummer, I totally forgot."

"I don't know if I can accept this...it's an _international_ concert-"

Claus set an encouraging hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey. It's okay, Lucas. DCMC performs at that festival every year! I bet Duster's going too, right?"

"I don't think so. At least, not this year." Lucas swallowed hard. "His limp acted up again, so the doctor advised him not to travel for around a year or two."

It was a tough decision.

On one hand, Lucas absolutely _loved_ to sing. Duster had also told him many exciting tales about Summers, and Lucas had never been to Country of Chommo before. He couldn't deny that the prospect of visiting Chommo sent a thrill down his toes.

On the other hand, if Lucas accepted the Mayor's offer, he would not only be preparing himself for another international concert, but he would also be attending it by himself. For the first time, Lucas would be alone.

It was a huge problem. Lucas still had trouble with crippling stage fright despite his talent, and barely managed to overcome it because of Claus or Duster. They had always been present at his performances, throwing him encouraging looks from the front row. Even thinking about the many pairs of judgemental eyes made his heart flutter in panic, and Lucas gripped the letter in his fist, tasting sour bile in his mouth.

He couldn't do this.

"What should I do?" Lucas panicked. "What do _you_ think I should do?"

Claus opened his mouth, then closed it. "It's your choice, not mine." He shrugged. "Do what you wanna do."

"I don't know. Claus, tell me what you think-"

"I'm not telling you what to do."

"But-"

"No," Claus said flatly. He narrowed his eyes. "The last time you promised, you ended up following exactly what I said. I'm staying out of this one."

"I swear I won't this time!" Lucas clutched at his head, feeling himself spiral into another panic attack. "I don't know if I can can do this alone, Claus, please, you've got to help me, you can't leave me alone again-"

Torn, Claus bit his lip. "Well...I could turn down my acceptance to the summer program. I mean, I can always reapply next year..."

"No."

"Lucas, I can't be in two places at once. You know that-"

"You're not giving up your spot." Lucas repeated. He knew how competitive the summer program was, and Claus had been dying to attend it since sixth grade. To take that opportunity away from Claus was not only selfish, but also undoubtedly cruel.

Claus sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I don't see why this is so difficult. You either go, or you don't. It's as simple as that."

Lucas shifted his eyes to the ground. "...I wish I were brave like you," he said quietly.

Claus's eyes softened. He plopped onto the stairs, sidling next to his brother. "Lucas, don't be afraid to do what you want," he said gently. "Forget worrying about me or about anybody else. This time, I want you to worry about yourself."

"Claus-"

"You know I won't mind what you choose, so choose what _you_ want, all right? You're braver than you think you are, and I know that you'll make the right choice in the end."

So time ticked by. Lucas started his first year of high school. The season of Summer gave in to the cool crispness of Autumn. Week after week passed, yet the golden envelope still lay neglected on the windowsill.

_I know that you'll make the right choice in the end._

But what was the right choice?

Lucas still didn't know.

* * *

**Setting: Present day.**

Lucas's eyes fluttered open to soft, distant music. There was a cold emptiness present in the cave. his brother was missing, and another glance proved that he was completely alone.

Yet, Lucas wasn't alarmed. He could sense somebody else close by, and a simple mental scan proved his suspicions.

Stifling a yawn, Lucas stumbled outside, squinting as sunlight streamed into his eyes. Blearily, he made his way towards a large boulder. A familiar figure sat on the very top, fiddling with something in his fingers. The cheerful tooting of a wind instrument hit his ears again, and then a discordant note shattered the smooth melody.

"Aw, darn," Ninten swore. He threw his ocarina a small glare. "Sure, let the asthmatic person play a wind instrument. 'It'll be fun,' they said. Hah!" Ninten whirled around with a wide grin. "Tell me, Lucas! Amiright?"

Shaking his head, Lucas rubbed at his eyes. "Hmmr."

How Ninten was so quirky all the time, Lucas hadn't the foggiest idea. The Podunk teen was happy-go-lucky in the same way that Ness was serious and down-to-earth. His light-hearted optimism also contrasted with Claus's heavy skepticism, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why the two of them squabbled every day. Lucas supposed that it made sense. It was well flaunted that Ninten had lived a relatively sheltered life.

At least, before they'd realized Giygas was his uncle.

It had hit them all hard. Even now, Lucas remembered how easily Giygas had blackmailed his brother by using him as bait. Shame twisted his insides. His brother was probably wrestling with his own internal demons, and Lucas couldn't even imagine what Ninten was going through.

Lucas let his eyes drift around, and Ninten caught the silent question. "The others are out refilling water bottles. They'll be back soon."

Ninten began tooting out another song that sounded suspiciously like _Yankee Doodle_. Appreciating the music, Lucas closed his eyes an drank in the sweet tune. "It sounds nice."

Ninten threw him a cocky vampire grin. "Thanks. My parents sicced the ocarina on me in sixth grade, but I think I'm starting to like it a little." His brown eyes brightened with sudden hint of curiosity. "Claus says that you can sing really, really well."

Lucas shrugged.

"Don't give me that." Ninten rolled his eyes. "You performed _Nella Fantasia_ last Spring. I heard that it was aired live on television. Apparently, you're an opera prodigy."

"It wasn't that big of a deal," Lucas said modestly.

"Hey, that gives me an idea." Ninten bolted upright. "You sing, and I'll play along with my ocarina. We should totally do a duet!"

"Wait! R-R-Right now?" Lucas stammered. His cheeks suddenly felt hot. "But-"

"Yeah, now!" Ninten's vampire grin widened. "Why not?"

"I'm...I-" Lucas said in a frantic attempt to change his friend's mind. "Aren't Ness and Claus returning soon? We'd better get going-"

"Relax. They left for the spring like a minute ago. We have plenty of time."

When Lucas still looked uncertain, Ninten put his persuasion skills to the test. "Come on, Lucas. I'm not gonna bite your head off. Besides, you can hear me play the ocarina again..." he wheedled, noticing the quiet spark of interest in his friend's eyes. It was no secret that Lucas couldn't resist anything music-related.

And indeed Ninten knew him too well. Despite his trepidation, Lucas did want to hear the ocarina again. It produced a rather quaint, yet charming sound.

"...A simple duet sounds nice," Lucas finally said, giving in to the suggestion.

"Hah, thought so. Hmm...now we need choose a song that we both know..." Ninten rubbed his head, muttering several names under his breath, then perked up at a sudden thought. "How about _Pollyanna_?"

Nervous, Lucas nodded in response.

"Composed by Catherine Warwick?"

"Sounds good."

"Welp, here goes nothing! Don't screw up on me too many times, will ya?" he joked, throwing Lucas a sly look when the latter still look apprehensive. "I might be amazing, but I'm still a poor asthmatic soul."

His teasing managed to invoke a small smile from Lucas. "You, a poor asthmatic soul?"

Ninten winked. "Yeah. Now stop stalling. I'm about to start."

Tapping his feet to the imaginary rhythm, within seconds, Ninten began to play, eagerly piping out the light, expository notes. The smooth, glassy ocarina in his hands reflected against the sun's rays in a glowing halo of light, and as Ninten approached the opening lyrics, he noted Lucas's still stiff posture.

_Did __I push him too hard?_

Ninten considered the option of stopping right then and there, but upon catching the sudden spark in Lucas's eyes, he declined the notion.

He was glad that he did.

Nothing could've prepared Ninten for the masterpiece of heart-wrenching emotion. As soon as the starting tune escaped from Lucas's lips, the notes had erased any shred of doubt from Ninten's mind. Seriously, his eyes must've been lying to him, because there was _no way_ that this boy next to him was the same shy blond who would fluster over an untied shoelace.

But Ninten's eyes weren't deceiving him. Lucas had started singing - not murmuring quietly or humming under his breath, but _singing -_ for real. A thousand emotions danced across Lucas's sky-blue eyes as the clear, sharp tune burst from his mouth, and the soft, sweet melody quavered into the misty, cold air.

_No wonder people say he's a singing prodigy, _Ninten thought, wide-eyed. He had heard of Lucas's extraordinary prowess, but had never witnessed the twin's performance first-hand. He didn't want to sound cliche, but in all honestly, _it was pretty darn good. _

No, it wasn't just good.

Magical.

_Unearthly._

He couldn't tell if it was the way Lucas's voice floated effortlessly into the air, or because of the oddly misty expression in his blue eyes, but Ninten blinked. A strange feeling clogged his throat.

Then Lucas faltered, throwing him a hesitant look, and Ninten realized that his mouth had been agape this entire time. Hastily whipping out his trusty ocarina in an attempt to hide his embarrassment, Ninten placed the clear, glassy instrument to his lips. Within seconds, the smooth, musical piping layered the soft lyrics in unforgettable harmony.

The hopeful melody washed over them, flowing and retracting like an ocean wave. Time seemed to stretch, and the song banished all of their worries, even if only for that one moment of peace. Ninten felt happy and content; Gone was the guilt, gone was the pain...All that mattered now was neither the past nor the future, but the _present_, and they were just two normal boys making sweet music outside on an ordinary Friday morning.

But even all good things came to an end. As the magical wisps of sound died, the final, everlasting note shivered in mid-air before fading into the rising dawn. There was an appreciative pause as both of them reveled in the last echoes of the disappearing song, then there was nothing but blissful silence.

Ninten threw Lucas a skeptical glance. "_It's not a big deal_?" the Podunk teen quoted, echoing the blond's previous words.

Maybe it was just the funny way Ninten was waggling his eyebrows, but Lucas struggled to bite back a laugh. His expression caused Ninten to emit an obnoxiously loud snort - then both of them were doubling over, cackling loudly underneath the rising sun.

"Why are we laughing?" Lucas gasped before he was caught by another onslaught of giggles.

Ninten wiped a tear from his eye. "You looked at me all funny!" he exclaimed.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"That's only 'cause you snorted!"

"No, I didn't!" Ninten wailed, flailing his arms wildly into the air. "Stop laughing!" he snapped, but he only ended up making Lucas laugh harder. Somewhat sulking, Ninten gave a childish pout. "And I thought Claus was a bad influence."

"I'll be sure to tell him that," Lucas noted with a grin.

Knowing that Lucas wasn't serious, Ninten rolled his eyes. "Doesn't make a difference anyways. Claus already hates my guts." He threw Lucas a satisfied smile. "Seriously though, we make an _awesome_ duet. We should do this more often!"

"Definitely," Lucas marveled, studying the strange ocarina with interested eyes. Music had dissolved his shy shell. "Your ocarina sounds amazing."

"Oh, this baby? It's been in my family for a long time." With a vampire grin, Ninten patted his ocarina carefully back into his pocket. "It's kind of wonky-looking, but it's not too hard to play." He whistled loudly. "But talk about that pro-level singing. How did you learn to sing like that?"

Lucas froze. A cold feeling tingled down his spine.

_How did you learn to sing like that?_

Lucas could never forget how much his mother had loved music. Even in his earliest childhood memories, Hinawa was there, teaching him how to sing. His first music lesson still stayed fresh in his mind, and he could picture the scene with ease.

_Hinawa hummed the lyrics to You are My Sunshine, and following their mother's cue, the twins proudly chirped along. __As soon as they finished, Claus punched a fist into the air. _

_"See, I told you we could sing the Sunshine song!" _

_Lucas looked down. "I got a word wrong." _

_Claus poked his side. "Haha! Lucas got a word wrong!" _

_"It was just one word," Lucas said, feeling his cheeks flush. _

_"So? You still got it wrong!" _

_Lucas felt his eyes water._

_"Claus," Hinawa said sternly. _

_At the rebuke, Claus sulked. __"Sorry," he muttered, shuffling his feet to the side._

_"I didn't mean to make a mistake..." Feeling ashamed, Lucas lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry I ruined the song..."_

_Hinawa gently dragged him into a hug. "You didn't ruin the song. Lucas, I am so proud of you," she whispered, rubbing his back in soothing circles. "Music is the language of Love, and you are truly blessed to have a wonderful voice."_

_Then Claus had vied for her attention, pouting that he could sing just as well._

Lucas stifled a laugh. _Claus had never gotten sick of singing the "Sunshine song." _

But then_ it _had happened. Lucas felt a sick jolt in his stomach, remembering the aftereffects of Hinawa's death. Despair and depression had sunk into the household, rotting and simmering in a putrid concoction of grief. What was once filled with vibrant lyrics and warm song was now replaced with cold, dead silence.

Full of anger and bitterness towards the world, Claus had shunned music, and Lucas painfully watched as his older brother tightly closed the doors to his now-frigid heart. Countless times afterwards, Lucas had begged and pleaded - _please, Claus, can we sing the Sunshine song together, please just this once - _but Claus had always refused.

_For the last time, I said no, Lucas!_ Claus had snapped with puffy, red-rimmed eyes. _It just doesn't sound the same anymore...Not without mom._

Claus never sang the Sunshine song again.

But Lucas had stubbornly refused to give up singing, for singing was a reminder of his dead mother that he could keep alive. So he persisted, staying up late at night to memorize songs by heart, obsessively listening to the radio in the morning, and pouring through countless tutorial after tutorial. Music quickly became his solace, and singing was how Lucas expressed the emotions he pent up in his heart.

Then one fateful day, his elementary choir teacher had miraculously caught him singing quietly in the boy's bathroom, and the astonished woman had immediately referred him to a former student. While polite and considerate, the former student, who had been a professional bassist at the time, had doubted her claims that Lucas was a singing prodigy.

But one sample performance had quickly convinced him otherwise.

_"Lucas, right?" the student asked softly. "I'm sorry to have doubted you." He eyed Lucas curiously. "How did you learn to sing like that?"_

_"My mom taught me," Lucas whispered shyly, scuffing his shoe on the tiled floor._

_"Did you have any prior tutoring?" The teen stared at him in astonishment when Lucas had silently shaken his head. "That's quite an impressive feat."_

_Lucas flushed and stared at his shoes. "I was lucky, sir," he said quietly._

_The man chuckled as if enjoying a private joke. "So am I. Call me Duster, kid." Rubbing his lame leg sheepishly, the Duster threw him an uncertain look. "Well, uh, Lucas...My band is still kind of new, and I dunno if rock's your thing, but I'll be happy to give you private tutoring either way. I can't sing, but me and the guys know a thing or two about music."_

Lucas had eagerly accepted Duster's offer, and ever since then, Duster had taken him under his wing as a mentee. Every week, Lucas would practice a song he had prepared beforehand, and Duster would listen, quietly adding in his feedback at the very end of his performance. Together, they had thoroughly studied all kinds of genres from modern pop to classic rock, and after intense, rigorous hours of training, Lucas had finally discovered his talent in opera.

Duster had taken him around the world in various DCMC concerts, and he - not Flint - had traveled to all of Lucas's solo performances. Just the presence of the man seemed to alleviate Lucas's stage fright, if only by a little. Despite acting as a mentor or chaperone though, Duster was someone Lucas could rely on, a special surrogate uncle.

And Duster had been there for him, especially when Claus had...

When Claus had...

...

Lucas's stomach clenched at the horrible memory, then shook his head. _The past is the past. I have to move on._

"Umm...Lucas?"

Lucas blinked.

Ninten was staring at him, waving a hand in front of his face. "Dude, you were zoning out," he joked, but his quirky tone failed to mask his worried expression. "Are you feeling okay?"

The blond jolted in surprise. "Sorry, Ninten," Lucas responded, flashing him a warm smile. "I was just thinking about-"

There was a loud crunch of gravel, and both of them jumped. A disgruntled Claus had barged through the trees, followed quickly by a weary-looking Ness. Neither of them looked very happy.

Lucas faltered, noting their flushed faces and troubled expressions. "Is something wrong?"

Fuming, Ness opened his mouth, but Claus rudely cut across him. "It's nothing." However, upon catching his brother's worried look, Claus wiped the frown off his face. "...We're back," Claus said unnecessarily. Dropping the armful of filled water bottles onto the ground, Claus began stuffing them in Ness's bag. "A little help here, Lucas?"

Startled, Lucas nearly fell over in shock.

"Right," the blond said, throwing Ninten an apologetic glance before hurrying over to help his brother. Before Ninten could ask what was wrong, a scowling Ness had marched over to him with a map in one hand, drawing an end to any idle chatter.

Once again, a heavy burden had settled over their heads, and Ninten grimly took in Ness's discussion with uncharacteristic seriousness. The fleeting reprieve of light-heartedness and laughter was finally over.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

What was supposed to be two and a half days of simple walking quickly turned into an endless, twisted nightmare.

The putrid humidity suffocated their mouths and noses, but the uncomfortably warm weather was the least of their worries. Scraping scales slithered and eerie moans echoed through the mist. Something big gave a loud, distorted _caw_ in the distance, and the alien screech sent a shiver down their spines.

In their haste to reach Giygas, all of them had forgotten why the wilderness had been classified "out-of-bounds." After the corrupted Pig-mask reign had collapsed some 150 years ago, their mutated chimaeras had all but escaped into the surrounding environment. At first, no one had been worried; as freakish, maladapted mutations of nature, it seemed logical to conclude that the chimaeras would die off easily.

But instead, the chimaeras had thrived, reproducing at an alarming rate with the already-dangerous native animals and plants. The city had initially tried to eradicate all the chimaeras, but soon ceased their operations when each one ended in tragic failure. As if sensing danger, the chimaeras warily shied away from the city, feeling more at home in the deep heart of the mountain range. This meant that anyone sane avoided the wilderness unless they had a good reason not to, and of the many bumbling idiots who had foolishly ventured in unprepared, none had returned alive.

While the boys hadn't received any major injuries, it was only a matter of time before someone did. They were beginning to bump into some of the rather dangerous inhabitants of the area. Ness had almost been mushroomized, and Claus had nearly stepped on a passing slitherhen. Still, except for the odd cattlesnake or two, nothing had purposely gone out of its way to attack them.

Their luck ran out on Day Three.

"Is it gone?" Ness whispered, tensing as he gripped his baseball bat. His other three companions huddled nearby behind a ring of shrubs.

Ninten closed his eyes for a few seconds, then shook his head. "I can't tell. It's prowling just out of my telepathic range."

"You've got to be kidding me," Claus said loudly before he was hastily bombarded by the collective '_SHH!_' on all sides. Rolling his eyes, Claus switched to telepathy. _So remind me. Why _exactly_ are we hiding?_

_Because we have no idea where the mecha-lion is, _Lucas said, peering through the fronds of the fern. _If Ninten hadn't read its mind, we wouldn't have known that its tail was poisonous_.

Claus looked outraged. _That thing's already nicked most of our food! What more does it want?_

_I think it just wants to eat us, _Ninten suggested helpfully. A hint of amusement seeped into his thoughts. _Come to think of it, that lion scarfed down all of our ginger-flavored jerky. Careful, Claus, it might be after you next._

_Haha. Very funny, Ninten._

_Hey, what can I say?_ Ninten cracked his vampire grin. _I'm a natural comedian._

_Guys, talk later. I don't want to be dinner for a bloodthirsty carnivore, _Ness interrupted. Reaching into his bag, he dug around, then shoved an object into Ninten's surprised hands. _That chimaera snapped your stick. Take this._

Ninten blanched. _Can't you give me anything else?_

_I have my yo-yo...?_

With a regretful sigh, Ninten took the offered "weapon." _Thanks. It's better than nothing._ He looked down glumly. _I wish I'd brought my slingshot._

_Classy,_ Claus said.

_Shut it, gingersnaps, _Ninten narrowed his eyes and gripped the handle of his frying pan. _Don't diss the glory of such a pan-tastic weapon._

Claus face-palmed. _No, Ninten. Just no. _

The other boy opened his mouth to say another pun, but was cut to the chase.

_Why do I get the feeling that we're being watched?_

_What?_ Ninten concentrated his telepathy outwards. _Relax, Lucas, there's nothing near__\- _Ninten retracted his mind in alarm. "Holy mother of French Fries-!"

**_Clang!_**

Ninten yelped as sharpened claws slashed in his direction and rebounded noisily off his frying pan. Brown eyes shot open to the size of dinner plates as the mecha-lion prowled in. It eyed him with hungry eyes.

Ninten didn't need to read its mind to know that he was on its dinner menu. He gave an inaudible squeak. "Guys...Help?"

Ness swung his bat. "Over here, ugly!"

**_SMASH!_**

"GGGRRRRRAAUUUUUUUUUUUGH!"

"I think you made it angrier!" Lucas yelled, watching the mecha-lion thrash and yowl in pain.

Claus had had enough. "Fuck this." He swiped his finger through the air. "PK Thun-"

"NO!" Ness barked, batting away the chimaera's poisonous tail. "We're too close to the research facility!"

"Who cares?!"

"Do you _want_ to attract Starmen?"

"Face it, Ness!" Claus snarled, rolling under another vicious swipe of claws. The serrated daggers whistled past his ear. "You said that we can use our PSI under _life-threatening situations._ If this isn't life-threatening, then what is?!"

The mecha-lion glowered at them through fizzling eye sockets. Suddenly, it opened its blue maw wide, and the only warning they got was a flash of red amidst the shining white teeth-

"DUCK!" Ness yelled.

A giant fireball the size of a basketball rocketed over their heads with a screaming s_wwweeeeee! _As the molten projectile flew past, Claus could feel the heat of the giant fireball sear his bare skin, crisping up the hairs of his underarms nicely.

With a screech, the mecha-lion tensed its haunches, then leaped over their heads. The word _leap_ didn't do it justice; the mecha lion practically _soared _through the air before landing right behind its startled victim.

_"Ness!"_ Lucas screamed, hurtling himself over a stump. "Look out!"

Ness didn't think twice. He dropped to the ground just as the mecha-lion snaked forward and snapped its jaws. Its maw closed around Ness's bag, and as the mecha-lion raised its head, the straps cut into his shoulders, lifting Ness into the air. Shouting and struggling to extricate himself from its grip, Ness shuddered, feeling hot, stinging breath hit his exposed skin.

_**CLANG!**_

"Pick on someone your own size, you mangy piece of fur!" Ninten bellowed, this time striking the mecha-lion upside the head with the frying pan.

The sudden jolt managed to shake Ness free, and he tumbled onto the ground. Emitting a bloodcurdling howl, the mecha-lion bounded away into the forest with Ness's bag still clutched in its feral teeth.

Spitting out dirt, Ness leaped to his feet. "Hey! GIVE BACK MY BAG!" he screamed, chasing after it in hot pursuit.

"Ness, wait-!"

"I'm not letting it get away after giving us all that crap!" Claus snarled, then sprinted after him in a murderous frenzy.

"Hang on, Claus, we shouldn't-" Lucas started yet again, but the two boys had already disappeared into the thick foliage.

Lucas and Ninten shared an uneasy look.

"They're idiots," Ninten groaned. "Let's catch up to them before they do something stupid." With the obvious having been said, Ninten rushed into the foliage with another yell. "Guys, wait up!"

Feet pounding through the scattered greenery, Lucas could barely spot Ninten's sneakers in front of his vision. Trees weaved in and out, branches scratched at his face. Gasping and panting for breath, Lucas skidded to a stop at a forked pathway. Ninten's striped shirt disappeared to his left, and just as Lucas tried to follow, a strange noise caught his attention.

"**ᗪᗩKOTᗩ.**"

Lucas stumbled to a halt. That didn't sound like a mecha-lion.

"Who's there?" Lucas said warily. Gripping his stick like a neanderthal club, he shuffled towards the right fork-

His shoe slipped on a wet patch of moss.

Without warning, Lucas tumbled down the slippery slope at a dizzying speed. In an act of desperation, he jabbed out his left leg against the rocky wall; his foot caught on a stray crevice, and he lurched, feeling his body jerk to a sudden halt in the knack of time. Grimacing, Lucas crawled upright, then gave a sharp yelp when an unexpected pain stabbed through his ankle. He collapsed into a crouch, and hissed as he poked the wound.

_I think the fall twisted my ankle…_

Internally berating himself for his carelessness, he raised his head and drank in his surroundings. The first thing that caught his eye was the gnarly apple tree, which stuck out at an odd angle like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Thick roots embedded themselves deeply into the cliff-side; the heavy weight of fruit forced its branches to sway precariously over open air.

Lucas was inches away from a treacherous drop-off.

Horrified, Lucas scooted backwards to safety. His breath caught in his throat, watching some dislodged pebbles clatter off the edge and plummet into the bowels of the deep, murky chasm.

_I could've fallen to my death._

"**ᕼᕮᒪᑭ?**"

Lucas whirled around. There it was again, that strange, alien voice.

"Hello?" Lucas started, wary eyes flitting around for the source of the mysterious voice.

There was a pause, then the muffled voice called out again. "**ᗩᗰ ᔕTᑌᑕK.**"

It was coming from the apple tree.

Bewildered, Lucas slowly crawled over to the tree trunk, careful not to strain his already-twisted ankle. Peering through the branches, he squinted upwards through the leaves in search of the mysterious voice. A sudden flicker of motion caught his eye, and he turned around, finally spotting _It._

And what a strange creature _It_ was too. _It_ had rather short, stubby legs and a comically large nose half the size of its own body. The strange creature wiggled in vain within the twisted maze of brambles.

Upon seeing him, the creature happily kicked its stubby feet. "**ᖴOᑌᑎᗪ ᗰᕮ, ᗪIᑎG!**"

Swinging back and forth, the weather-beaten tree groaned in protest.

In short, it was going to give way at any second.

The creature glanced up at Lucas in a pitiful plea. "**ᕼᕮᒪᑭ ᗰᕮ? Yᕮᔕ? ᑎO? ᗰᗩYᗷᕮ ᔕO?**"

Torn, Lucas stared back, biting the bottom of his lip. Panic settled in, clawing at his insides, and he swallowed hard, placing a tentative hand on the distorted bark.

_What should I do? _

_What would **Claus **do?_

He already knew the answer. Lucas took a deep breath. Testing the tree trunk with his weight, which surprisingly held firm, Lucas placed another tentative foot onto the ledge.

Adults easily described Lucas as "thoughtful" and "cautious." His careful personality contrasted heavily with Claus's reckless tendency to dive into everything head-first, and along with Ness's fiery passion for crazy plans and Ninten's random bouts of goofing off, it was rather fortunate that Lucas was the divine "Voice of Reason."

But to be honest, Lucas felt neither "thoughtful" nor "cautious" as he dangled like a shaking leaf off the side of the cliff. His hands tightly gripped the groaning branch of the apple tree in dear life, and he fervently hoped that the branch would continue to hold steady under his weight. Several times, his ankle throbbed and seared painfully, forcing him to pause for an agonizing amount of time before he gritted his teeth and crawled forward.

Then he made a fatal mistake that nearly cost him his balance.

Lucas looked down.

Empty air engulfed his pupils. Gripping onto the branch in dear life, Lucas felt his breath freeze in his throat, and he jerked away, tightly scrunching his eyes shut. As the tree groaned and swayed in nauseating circles, desperate fingers scrabbled around, clawing furrows into old bark. Peeled bark scraped off in agitated flakes.

_Breathe. __Don't look down. _

_You're not going to fall. You're not going to fall._

_Claus would kill me if I fell like an idiot._

Lucas grimaced. He didn't need to think twice about what his twin brother would say. Either something along the lines of _Lucas, w__hat the hell are you doing?! Get down from the tree!_ or _STAY WHERE YOU ARE! I'll save you!_

Clapping a hand over his mouth to stifle his hysterical giggles, Lucas leaned over with a groan. "Calm down, Claus," he muttered under his breath, slowly regaining his teetering balance. "I've got this."

Instilled with renewed courage, Lucas took another deep breath, then crawled forward at a steady pace. The bough of the tree vibrated under his shifting weight, and he paused, stopping at a split between two branches.

To go any farther was to risk certain death.

Luckily, the creature was within arm's reach. His fingers inched forward along trembling bark. If he reached out...just a little closer...!

The branch underneath him erupted with an ominous _crack._ The creature nervously swung back and forth.

**"ᕼᕮY-YO, KᗩY-ᑎO!"**

Lucas frantically swiped his fingers down, but a wayward breeze swung the creature just out of reach. The branch cracked again - a deep, ringing sound - and Lucas knew that it couldn't support his weight any longer. Gritting his teeth in frustration, Lucas lunged forward and nabbed the creature by the bowtie just as the branch broke free.

His eyes widened in horror.

Like a wildcat, Lucas threw himself against gravity, twisting himself out of the scratchy brambles. He didn't care if they tore grooves into his shirt or stung his cheeks; all he knew was that he had to reach,_ reach for the edge-_

With an explosive gasp, he yanked himself free of the twigs clawing through his hair. Stumbling onto solid ground, he collapsed on numb feet, watching in fascinated horror as several thick limbs groaned and uprooted the last of the stump into the dark abyss. Within seconds, the deep gorge had swallowed up any sign of its existence.

Wow.

He had cheated death _again._

Squirming about, the creature wiggled in his arms. Jerking back to the present, Lucas lowered his hands, setting the creature down onto the soft soil.

"You okay?" he said kindly.

The creature looked up, fixing him in place with curious eyes. "**ᗷᒪOᑎᗪᗷOY ᔕᗩᐯᕮᗪ ᗰᕮ. ᗰᗩᑎY TᕼᗩᑎKᔕ. ᗷOIᑎG!**"

Lucas stuffed his hands into his pockets, feeling a warm flush prickle his cheeks. "It was nothing."

"**ᑎᗩᗰᕮ ᗰᖇ. ᔕᗩTᑌᖇᑎ. ᑎᗩᗰᕮ ᗷᒪOᑎᗪᗷOY?**"

He felt a shy smile grow on his face. "I'm Lucas."

"**ᑕOᗰᕮ ᑕOᗰᕮ, ᒪᑌᑕᗩᔕ. ᗰᕮᕮT ᖴᖇIᕮᑎᗪ ᔕᗩTᑌᖇᑎ.**" Balancing a stray apple on its head, the Mr. Saturn cheerfully nudged at the flustered blond, then set off, strutting down the dirt pathway.

"W-W-Wait! Not now!" Lucas stammered, and the Mr. Saturn stopped pushing him up the slope. The Mr. Saturn's words had jolted his mind back to clarity, and Lucas was alarmed at how far up the sun was in the sky. "My friends might be in trouble. I have to catch up to them."

Somehow, the Mr. Saturn seemed to understand. Hopping up, it patted something small and silver into his hands. "**ᔕᕼIᑎY ****ᗷOᗯTIᕮ.**** ᑕOᗰᕮ Iᖴ ᑕᕼᗩᑎGᕮ ᗰIᑎᗪ. ᘔOOᗰ!**"

Lucas flipped the item over in his palm.

A silver dragonfly.

He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion before realization hit him. "A whistle," Lucas voiced in wonder, staring at the intricate, bow-shaped marking etched into the delicate metal. "...Thanks."

"**ᔕKYᗪIᐯIᑎG. ᗷOIᑎG!**" Then the Mr. Saturn – to Lucas's incredulous shock – bounced off the cliff without a single care in the world.

"Wait!" Lucas yelled, trying to save it from a disastrous death. But by the time he had reached the edge of the cliff and peered down, the Mr. Saturn was long gone.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

When Lucas made his way back to the forked path, he felt his anxiety multiply. There was still no sign of his friends, and Lucas worried that one of them had been gravely injured by the mecha-lion.

To his luck, he didn't have to wait long. Almost at once, he was bombarded by a frantic telepathic voice.

_Lucas? Is that you?_

_Ness?_

A capped head popped up from behind a shrub, and Ness's shoulders sagged in relief. "Oh geez, we thought that mecha-lion ate you!" he said, cutting through the underbrush. "It must've devoured a bird or something before we caught up to it, because its fur was matted with blood. Everyone was freaking out, man!"

"Sorry. I got lost." Sheepishly, Lucas shifted his foot, then buckled, wincing as an unexpected pain seared his ankle. With everything that had happened, he had completely forgotten about his injury.

But Ness caught the wince, and frowned. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing I can't handle-"

"Where does it hurt?"

Lucas colored in embarrassment. "It's only a sprained ankle. I'll treat it later-"

But to his surprise, Ness leaned over and placed a gentle hand on his sore ankle. "Here?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"PK Healing," Ness said softly, and the stabbing ache vanished in a refreshing wash of power.

It felt quite nice.

Lucas threw him a grateful look, which Ness returned. When he opened his mouth to thank him, Ness waved him off. "Don't mention it."

"You didn't have to..." Lucas hesitated. "Won't we attract Starmen?"

Ness shrugged. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. We can't have you stumbling around like that. Especially if we meet another mecha-lion."

"Where...?"

"We took care of it." Ness threw him a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. "Claus went crazy on it. He blasted that thing flat-out with PK Thunder."

Lucas shuddered.

"Hey, we thought it had eaten you, and we didn't want it to hurt anyone else," Ness pointed out with a frown. "It's still alive if you want to know, but it's not going to bother anyone for a _long_ time."

Suddenly, Ninten's muffled yell cut through the clearing. "Ness, did you find him?"

"Yeah, I found the dolt!" Ness shouted back, throwing the sheepish blond a glare. "We're over by the forked pathway."

Almost on cue, Ninten stumbled in, Claus right at his heels. Aside from their sweaty, flushed expressions, both of them seemed unhurt much to Lucas's relief.

Ashen-faced, Ninten staggered forward and clutched Lucas's arm. "Are you hurt? Did the mecha-lion attack you? Did _Giygas_ attack you? Did-"

"Calm down, Ninten." Lucas stifled a laugh. "I'm okay."

"It's all good," Ness added.

Claus grumpily pushed Ness aside. "See, I told you he was going to be okay," Claus said, sounding clearly annoyed. But Lucas picked up on the faint hint of concern; his eyes trailed over the way Claus held himself.

Stiff shoulders tensed in unspoken worry. Rigid fingers fiddled with themselves in unconscious agitation, uncertain with whether or not to hug his brother or rebuke him. Ever since the detention incident, Claus had rarely strayed several inches from his side, often times cracking an excuse to hold his hand or even brush meaningfully against his shoulder. Every now and then, Lucas caught the expression on his brother's face, the not so subtle _cough-and-avert-eyes_ gesture whenever their eyes met. Lucas was not fooled in the slightest.

His brother was worried.

Lucas's eyes softened. He gently placed a hand on his forearm, then looked up into his brother's startled gaze. _I'm okay, Claus._

Claus hesitated, meeting his eyes. _Are you sure?_

_Yeah, I'm positive. _Lucas turned away, flushing a deeper crimson in utter mortification. His friends had bravely fended off the monstrous mecha-lion, and here he was, accidentally tripping over _grass_ and spraining his ankle like some three-year-old.

How embarrassing.

Ness deflated, shouldering his bag. "I was an idiot," he mumbled, fingering the bill of his hat. "My dad bought this bag for me, and when the mecha-lion snatched it away, getting it back was the only thing I had in my mind. I shouldn't have left you guys behind."

"It's okay, Ness," Lucas said. "I shouldn't have been a klutz-"

"No, Lucas," Ness said softly. "Anything can happen out here. We're lucky that you and Ninten didn't bump into some serious trouble." Ness drew himself up with a determined smile. "From now on, we're in this together."

"No child left behind!" Ninten added gleefully, and Claus smacked him in the arm. "Owww," Ninten whined, rubbing his sore shoulder. "Stop abusing me, Claus!"

Lucas sighed in relief. "At least nobody was hurt."

"Yeah," Ness grinned, flashing him a teasing smile. "Except for you."

Claus jerked his head up. _"What?!"_

Lucas hastily swiped a finger across his neck, and Ness's eyes widened. "Just kidding! Good night! Show's over!" Ness slapped Lucas on the back. "Okay, cool, let's hit the road-"

"Hold on," Claus said quietly.

If Lucas could read his elder twin like a book, vice-versa applied. Claus looked terribly unconvinced. "Lucas," he said, slowly stabbing his brother with piercing blue eyes. "What happened?"

Lucas wanted to die of embarrassment. It was already bad enough that Ness knew; Claus would flip out if Lucas got so much a paper cut. With a grimace, the younger twin lifted his head, risking a tentative side-glance at his brother.

Claus looked two seconds away from a heart attack.

Lucas decided not to mention his death-defying stunt. "It's nothing important-"

"Nothing important, huh?" Claus's eyes glinted. "C'mere!"

Claus lunged forward, trying to trap him in a headlock. Lucas yelped, trying to side-step him, but Claus seized his shoulder, tackling him to the ground. A free-for-all commenced. The twins playfully scuffled about in the dirt, each trying to achieve dominance over the other, but in the end, there could only be one winner, and with a wide grin, Lucas pinned Claus down with his elbows.

"I win!" Lucas chirped, happily sitting on Claus's stomach.

Claus grunted, squirming and shifting under Lucas's weight. "Get off, _fatty._ I can't breathe."

Lucas laughed, scrambling up to let him stand. "Maybe your old age is finally catching up to you-"

Suddenly Claus snatched his ankles, dragging them back with a hard yank. Lucas gave an undignified yelp as he toppled face-first into the dirt for the third time that day. Before Lucas could react, Claus had turned the tables on him, straddling his knees on either side of his struggling body.

"You cheated!"

"So did you." The elder twin leaned over with a smirk. "I know that you're hiding something. You can't lie, Lucas, because I won't let you get away with it."

"I'm not lying!"

"Hmmm...Then I'll just sit here like this until you talk-"

"Claus...too heavy..."

"Don't pull the Pity Card, because I'm not falling for it."

"Pleeeease!"

"Are you gonna fess?"

"Never!"

Claus grinned mischievously, wiggling his fingers. "Well, if you insist, I know just the thing to change your mind-"

"AHH! No! Don't you dare, Claus!" Lucas squeaked, frantically trying to wriggle out of his grasp. "Guys!" he pleaded to Ness and Ninten, both of whom were watching the twins in amusement. "Don't just stand there! Do something! Help!"

As soon as the tips of Claus's fingers snagged his shirt, Lucas helplessly burst out into peals of laughter. "S-S-Stop, Claus! I'm sorry! I-Hahaha! Okay, stop, stop it, please, I give up, just-HAHAHAHAAAAA!"

"Yes?" Claus smirked, cupping a free hand to his ear. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said. You might want to speak louder-"

"Okay, I give up!" Lucas gasped, trying to squirm away from his brother's fingers. "I twisted my ankle, and Ness healed me. Please get off! You're h-heavy!"

Claus smirked. "That's more like it." To Lucas's relief, Claus rose back onto his feet, patting the dirt off his own pants. It was then Claus felt two pairs of eyes on him, and realized that both Ninten and Ness were still watching him with big, fat grins on their faces.

Claus scowled. "What are you two looking at?"

"NO. WAY." Ninten gasped. "Claus is actually a sarcastic jerk again!"

"Shut up, Ninten."

"He's reverted back to his natural state," Ness deadpanned. "It's unbelievable."

Ninten wisely shook his head. "Ah, even the strangest of phenomena have no logical explanation-"

"Everything has a logical explanation," Claus countered, narrowing his eyes. This was beginning to sound like one of their little quarrels at school, and both Lucas and Ness shared an amused look.

"OBJECTION!" Ninten declared, crossing his arms smugly. "Anything is possible, if you _believe_-"

"Stop, just stop, Ninten." Claus face-palmed. "Ugh, just listen to yourself. Not everything is possible through sheer belief!"

"I believe in make-believe."

"Well then, you're _wrong. _Everything follows the laws of physics, so things can't just magically _appear_."

"Well, PSI doesn't follow all the rules of physics," Ninten countered, jabbing a finger into the air. "What if something magically _poofed _into existence? How would you justify that? Huh, Claus?"

"Humor me," Claus said in a bored voice.

Ninten fidgeted, trying to think of a good example. "Well...Um...W-What if, um...What if a dude randomly fell from the sky?"

"Okay, easy," Claus said flatly, cocking an eyebrow. "One, _people can't fly_. Two, we're in the middle of _nowhere. _Three..._PEOPLE CAN'T FLY._"

"Exactly!" Ninten exclaimed, jabbing his finger into the air. "_It makes no sense!_ Not everything has to have a logical explanation."

Claus wiggled his hands in mock humor. "Right. Obviously,_ someone_ is going to randomly appear and snap photos of us in rapid succession-"

A dark figure hurtled out of the air, bombarding them with a barrage of PK Flashes. Collective cries of pain, bewilderment, and shock emanated from the party.

Blinking furiously, Claus raised an arm to cover his watering eyes. "The _hell?"_

"Photos taken instantaneously!"

_**Snap! Snap! Snap!**_

"I'm a photographic genius, if I do say so myself." A bearded man in a tux raised his camera again. "Say fuzzy pickles!"

"Who are you?" Ness said, confused.

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

"Umm...but-"

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

"You haven't answered my- oh. NOT YOU AGAIN."

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

"We don't want to take-"

"Say fuzzy pickles!"

Exasperated, Ness dragged everyone into the frame. "FUZZY PICKLES!"

Ninten blinked. "Ness, what-"

"Trust me on this one," Ness hissed from the corner of his mouth. "_Smile."_

"But-"

"SMILE."

They reluctantly complied. It was a monstrous sight; their teeth felt painfully awkward and clunky, lips stretched too wide for comfort-

_**Snap.**_

"Oh my, this one's a keeper!" The man stuffed the picture into his waistcoat, then bowed low at the waist. "Until next time, folks!"

The camera man spiraled up into the air and disappeared out of sight.

Stunned silence.

"H-He...But h-how?" Claus sputtered, staring at the exact spot the man had disappeared into the sky. His face colored in disbelief. "_How_?!"

Ninten burst out laughing. "Ooh, Claus! You just got _owne-_"

"This doesn't prove anything!" Claus snapped, still flushing a dark crimson.

"Heh. Someone's a sore loser-"

"Shut up! I'm not a sore loser!"

"Sore loser."

Creasing his eyebrows in a frown, Lucas stared up at the sky. "Ness, did you know that man?"

"Nope."

"What?!" Claus whirled around, aghast. "Didn't your parents ever teach you _not_ to talk to strangers?"

"I checked his mind with telepathy. He wasn't going to leave without a photo." Ness sighed. "He's harmless, Claus."

"How do we know that he's not a stalker?" Ninten asked weakly.

They all froze wide-eyed as the implications of his words sank in.

_Oh_.

…

_..._

"Claus! You jinxed it!" Ninten wailed. He dramatically fell to his knees. "YOU'VE DOOMED US ALL."

"_I_ jinxed it?" Claus sputtered. "YOU brought it up first!"

"Guys, calm down," Lucas tried to reassure them. "The camera man might not be a stalker-"

"Fifty-fifty isn't good odds, Lucas!" Claus snapped, turning around with an accusatory glare. "This is your fault, Ness!"

"How is it _my_ fault?" Ness said offended. "Claus, he's just a weird, old man. I'm sure that he's NOT a stalker-"

"Look, even _Ninten_ thought he was a stalker-"

Ninten scrunched his eyes in concentration. "Wait."

"Don't tell me that you believe him too!" Claus rounded on Ninten with an incredulous look. "If you haven't noticed, some stalker _invaded our privacy_!"

"He's not a stalker, dammit! He's the- wait! I know who he is now!" Ness snapped his fingers. "He's the same guy who takes our yearbook pictures every year."

"...You're bluffing."

"No, I'm not!"

"See, Ness, that's even more proof that he's a stalker-"

"Guys, an organic lifeform is flying overhead," Ninten interrupted. "Whatever it is, it's coming closer."

Ness cursed. "Hide!" he hissed, dragging them behind some sizeable rocks. They waited in growing apprehension, straining their senses - even their low breathing sounded loud in their ears.

They didn't have to wait long for their unwelcome guest to appear.

With low _vrooooooooooooosh, _a robot hummed, lowering itself onto the ground. "Energy output detected. Scan?"

_A Starman,_ Ninten whispered. There was a silent assent to his words.

_It must have sensed my LifeUp, _Ness muttered as they froze in place, warily watching its every move.

Claus furrowed his eyebrows. _You said that you sensed something organic. That thing is definitely artificial, Ninten._

Ninten shifted his gaze to the Staman. _I don't understand...only living things can generate PSI._

"Energy output negligible. Scanning declined."

The Starman sped off into the air.

"It's heading back to the research facility." Checking that everyone was close behind, Ness leaped forward in hot pursuit. "C'mon!"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

They were right to keep on moving. Even from this distance, they spotted a noticeable cluster of silver on the mountainside where Claus had supposedly taken down the mecha-lion.

Just beyond the horizon, the Starman paused above a sparse clearing. Catching his breath, Claus narrowed his eyes. "What's it doing?"

With a smooth whirr, a hidden entrance spiraled open in front of their incredulous eyes. The Starman plunged out of sight, disappearing down the secret entrance. Another soft whirr, and the hole closed up, leaving no sign that the wilderness had been disturbed in the first place.

"This is it," Ninten breathed. His skin tingled in apprehension, and he shuddered, rubbing his goosebumps. He could almost _see_ Giygas lurking down there, waiting to react on the slightest hint of their reappearance.

Ness steadied his baseball bat, ready clobber anything in their path. "Okay, keep your guard up. Anything you see, hear, or even breathe might kill us."

"Overkill much?" Claus drawled.

"Hey, we're in enemy territory," Ness hissed, jabbing into the bushes. "We need to be _vigilant."_

An ear-wrenching rumble rattled their ears.

"I'm hungry," Ninten whined. When all of them cracked up laughing at his pitiful expression, Ninten groaned, sinking to his knees. "Seriously though, I'm as famished as _Hell_. Can we eat something now, Ness?"

"Ninten." Ness gestured at the valley. "We're literally _here."_

"But none of us got the chance to eat today because of that mecha-lion," Ninten moaned. In a puff of dust, Ninten collapsed onto the ground. A muffled voice escaped from his limp form. "Forget Giygas. We're all gonna to starve to death and _dieeeee-_"

"We're all dead on our feet," Claus added, slumping against a weather-beaten boulder. "Look, Ness, the research facility can wait until tomorrow morning. We need to rest. Honestly, you look like a dump."

Ness panicked. "You too?! We can't bail now! The entrance is _right there._ If we're quick enough, we could-"

"-get wrecked," Claus said flatly, stubbornly crossing his arms. "Face it, Ness. None of us are in any condition to fight today."

Ness clenched his hands. "Get up, Claus."

"No."

"Get up!"

"Not. Happening."

Ness bared his teeth. "They could be hurt. They could be _hurt, _Claus! They need our help! And I'm not failing them them again!" Frustrated, Ness tried to pull Claus off. "Guys, we're so _close-"_

"Close to getting caught ourselves. Christ, Ness, for the last effing time, get a grip!" Claus retorted, shoving him back harder than he'd expected, and Ness collided headfirst against the ground.

There was an awful hush.

Slowly, Ness pushed himself up, wiping his mouth. Claus eyed him in comtempt.

His eyes wide at the sudden shift in mood, Ninten jerked his head up. "Uh... Ness? Claus? If you've forgotten, Giygas is kinda next door-"

"So you're butthurt. Get over it." Claus said flatly, ignoring Ninten completely. Ness silently stood in the clearing. Ness's fingers curled into a fist. Noticing this, Claus sneered. "What, are you going to punch me? Cause I'll be sure to-"

_"Claus."_

Claus flinched. Ninten lifted his head up in shock. Lucas's voice was quiet, but the disapproval in his expression said it all.

"What? It's true," Claus said defensively.

Lucas didn't look happy. Brushing past him, Lucas helped Ness up. "LifeUp."

Exasperated, Claus tagged after his brother like a mother hen. "Lucas, you can't be _serious._ There's no way we're infiltrating the base tonight-"

"We're not giving up, Ness. But Claus has a point," Lucas broke in, throwing Claus a sharp look, and for once, Claus caught his silent warning and closed his mouth with a scowl. "Barging into Giygas's laboratory now is a bad idea. If the missing student _are_ there, we need to be rested and ready."

Ness didn't respond.

Lucas's eyes softened. "We're here with you all the way," he said quietly, resting a hand on Ness's shoulder. Ness jerked his head up, taken aback when Lucas mirrored his eyes with trust, because, _h__eck, _Ness himself had no idea what he was doing. He was just improvising shitty plans and crossing his fingers, hoping that none of them got killed by the end of the day.

All of his friends looked worse for wear. They were caked in dry mud and sweat. Their limbs trembled from crushing weariness. Knees shook from exhaustion, threatening to buckle.

It was only a matter of time before someone was going to protest, and Ness didn't blame them.

Yet, nobody had.

**We're here with you all the way.**

Ness felt a lump grow in his throat, and resisted the urge to choke, or worse, cry. He struggled to force the lump back down, and swallowed. Once again, determination sparked his hallowed, haunted eyes. The faces of his missing friends popped into his mind.

_We're coming for you._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ana was a quiet girl. She didn't argue, she didn't complain, and she didn't make a mountain of a molehill.

But when she awoke with a rather nasty headache, she was understandably rattled. Strange sounds and colors bombarded her bewildered vision.

_Am I in a tropical rainforest?_

Lush, green leaves hung from tall, scratchy bark. A clear spring of water gurgled like music in her ears. Luscious, sweet-smelling red-orange fruit hung from branches, and the cawing of exotic birds were quickly followed by the telltale flash of multicolored feathers.

That was when she remembered.

She had been captured.

Ana grimaced, sitting up. _How could I have gotten myself captured so easily?_

Ever since Paula's strange absence, she and Poo had teamed up at school to investigate her disappearance. As PSI users, Poo had advised that they stick together, but during the thrill of the Halloween Dance, Ana had accidentally been separated from him by the enormous crowd of people. Panicking, she had tried reaching out with her telepathy in vain, but quickly realized that the party was too loud for any sort of mental maneuvering. As she shouted and called out Poo's name, Pokey had spotted her, and he had offered to show her where Poo was.

In hindsight, it did seem like a stupid thing to fall for, but Ana had panicked, and her judgement had been clouded by her deafening worry for Poo's safety. But when she had been led outside into the basketball court, Pokey had disappeared. Too late, Ana realized her mistake, but before she could escape, a group of strange, metallic hominoid figures had knocked her unconscious with a PK Beam to the head.

_Ah. That explained the headache._

"Ana?"

The blonde froze. "Paula!" she exclaimed, sitting upright so quickly that her head spun nauseatingly. True to her word, an anxious Paula materialized into view, and Ana hugged her missing friend joyfully with as much force as she could muster. "You're okay!"

Paula pushed her back down. "You shouldn't strain yourself," she said worriedly. "Those Starmen did quite a number on you, and I tried to heal you the best I could. But my PSI was completely spent, and you were unconscious, so I hope you don't mind that I used telepathy to tap into your PSI core."

"How long was I out?"

"I don't know," Paula admitted, lowering her arms. "Maybe a few days? You and Poo were floating in the spring." She pointed towards the center of the lush jungle, and Ana caught the distant sparkle of tell-tale water.

Alarmed, Ana rose. "Oh, is Poo hurt?"

"He's fine!" Paula said hastily. "He's out scouting with Kuma. We think that the only exit's located above the spring, but it's hard to tell because of the glass force-field. We're trapped inside. And it sucks because it absorbs PSI." To prove her point, Paula knocked on an invisible wall next to her, and it let out a thick _clunk_.

"We can't see through the glass, but maybe someone else could see us through the other side." Ana stared expectantly at the glass. "What's on the other side?"

"No idea. I woke up in here like you."

"This is insane." Ana's breath hitched in her throat. "We need to leave! Who knows what could happen...we could even starve to death-!"

Paula laughed loudly. It was the first time Ana had seen her so happy in long while. "The fruit's edible and the air's clean, so you don't have to worry about that." Her face darkened. "Our real problem is the Starmen."

"Starmen?" Ana echoed plaintively. She winced as her head protested and gave another jolt of pain. Fresh out of PSI, Ana sighed regretfully, then nursed her still-ringing head. "What Starmen?"

"I'm talking about those metal robots that kidnapped you," Paula said bitterly.

Ana registered her distress. Her best friend was such a wild spirit; Paula hated claustrophobic spaces. "Have you tried blasting your way out?"

Paula clenched her fists. "I don't have enough PSI."

"Can't you recharge your PSI?"

"Yeah, but that's when the Starmen come in." Paula's features darkened considerably, drawing slanted shadows across her harried face. "The Starmen are smart. If they wanted us dead, we'd already _be_ dead."

"What do you mean?"

Paula shook her head. "We're at their mercy. The Starmen emerge from the exit above the spring. You can kill them off, but they'll keep on coming until you give in and feed the force-field with every drop of your PSI."

"Where does all the energy go?"

"Nowhere good, I bet," Paula said grimly.

"Well...You could hide when they come-"

"You can't hide. You can't run. They know everything: where you are, how much PSI you have, your heart rate...everything." Paula yanked up her sleeve. Cuffed to her wrist was a glassy, metallic tracker, and Ana realized that there was also a similar-looking device attached to her own arm.

"Don't bother. I tried," Paula added when Ana tried to tug it off in vain.

Ana felt despair sink in, and closed her mouth. After all, what _could_ she say?

Paula slumped against a tree. All her former confidence seemed to drain out of her. "I've been here for a while," she said quietly. "My mom's probably worried..."

Ana hesitated. Not knowing what to do, she shyly patted Paula in the back. "We'll find a way out," she whispered.

"I know."

"You know?"

"I have a good feeling." Paula hummed in response, accepting her comfort. "I had a vision two weeks ago. I saw Ness with three other people. I couldn't tell who they were, but I'm think that it was Ninten and the twins."

"Ninten? No way," Ana said in disbelief. As much as she wanted to believe Paula's vision, it sounded too good to be true.

"Yes way," Paula said, confidently placing her hands on her hips. "Ness knows PSI, so maybe the rest of them do too."

Ana's spirits rose. "If they come, then we might have a fighting chance."

"Of course! Kuma's been here longest, and she's getting impatient. We're just waiting for the right moment." Paula clenched her fists. "Look, Ana, I don't know how, and I don't know when, but help is already on the way."

"I just hope the boys know what they're getting themselves into," Ana said quietly.

Paula closed her eyes with a small smile. "I believe in Ness. If there's one person we can trust...it's him."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Heya guys! Once again****, thank you for your patience. :) This chapter is pretty long, but I hope it's well worth the wait. I realized that I don't have any Lucas-centric chapters, so I decided to give him some time to shine. **

**I was planning to cover more on the mechanics of telepathy and and limitations of PSI in this chapter, but took it out at the last minute. It's okay though; we'll cover the rest soon enough. ****I also think that my subconscious felt guilty for the pain and suffering I've been giving all the characters, so enjoy some friendship fluff while it lasts. ****Plus, I was also hoping to try my hand to practice writing humor. So bear with me while I try (and fail) to make people smile. :) **

**Besides, if anyone asks, I like cliff-hangers. Literally speaking. ;) And I may or may not have borrowed an Avatar reference just because. *Shifts eyes guiltily***

**Now your reviews in chronological order!**

**ConnorTheSpelingPro****: Yeah, Chapter 13 had a lot going on. xD We'll be seeing quite a bit of Giygas in the future chapters...and I love writing about dramatic people :D And no, don't cry! ;_; Claus will be okay...probably. Thanks, but haha I think you give me more credit than the story's worth. xD This chapter took forever to write because...writer's block. :( **

**Guest****: Thank you. :)**

**PK LoveGamma: Haha you must have read this story while I was still taking exams. xD I took some time off Fanfiction for month to study. But thanks. :) Believe it or not, writing is one of my weak points, and I decided to write Fanfiction to improve my Engleesh. ;) And I feel the same; I wish I can toss out chapter after chapter every single day, but each one takes me a so much time to finish. This is probably my fastest pace. AHM SO SLOW. DX But hey, whenever you get an idea, don't feel shy to write! That's what we're all here for. :)**

**Guest: Thanks. :) Haha writing crack!fic in the wee hours of the morning is probably not the best idea though. xD And don't worry, Lucas will be fine...probably. **

**DarkFoxKit: Yep. I love writing sibling-sibling fluff/angst, and I'm just happy that Ness and Ninten finally figured everything out. :) Took them _ages_, haha. And poor Ninten. It's not everyday you realize that your supposedly evil Calculus teacher is your uncle. DX *Shudders***

**F-f-fire: Ah thanks! *Bashfully melts into floor* You guys are all making me feel flustered; I'm here because I want to improve my writing skills. :) But btw, there's no need for me to write a crack!fic for a Flint v. Giygas battle, because Flint would win, hands down. FLINT IS CHUCK NORRIS. ****Lovin' that reference to the Mother 3 song, by the way. ;) **

**FalconerET: Having never actually played any of the games myself, I had to go to Earthbound Wiki (Shhh don't tell anyone) and search up some names and places. To be fair, the description of Holy Loly Mountain fit the context perfectly, and I thought, _Why not?_ And hooray for cliche bad guys sitting in a dark room talking alone even though nobody is listening to their Shakespearean soliloquy xD**

**OXYD: Thanks, I'm happy to be back too! :) And the adventure's just getting started ;)**

**Angel-woof: Oh! You didn't miss anything at all. :) Ninten came in time to help Ness, and Ness teleported them to the school. I did write a segment for this, but erased it because (a) it sounded redundant and (b) chapter 13 is too long. :( Sometimes you have to cut out some ideas to get the plot moving. And yeah, sorry, I made everyone feel angsty last chapter. D: Hopefully this chapter lightens things up a little bit before things get dark again...*Looks at future chapters* Yeah. And dude, good luck in Biochem. :)**

**Gage:**** S****upercalifragilisticexpialidocious. ;)**

**Guest:****Yeah, sorry, Flint. D: I cause you a lot of pain. And as for if going to Holy Loly Mountain was the right choice...we'll see. ;) **

**Readergirl27: Thank you. :) We will be seeing another glimpse of Flint in a later chapter (I'm guessing somewhere around chapter 16?). And I can totally relate; I can use Lucas's PK Thunder decently in PM, but in Brawl... :(**

**DistorterOfPhase: Thanks! And hey, welcome to the Fanfiction website! :D I do love using subtle references, and I'm glad you caught a few. :) And no sweat; hooray for questions! Seriously though, you've hit the jackpot...BECAUSE I WILL ANSWER ALL OF THEM. B)**

**(1) Ness's parent(s) will be making an appearance at a later time (~chapter 16?)**

**(2) Absolutely (nice video game reference there :D). But it'll take the boys a _long_ time to confirm Giygas's plans.**

**(3) Pokey will make a come-back (Right now ~chp 18, but give or take one/two chapters).**

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	15. Going Alone

**Setting: Future.**

Barreling through the forested scenery with fierce abandon, Claus sprinted for dear life, panting and wheezing like a run-down car.

Branches scratched at his arms and face, slicing small cuts into delicate skin. Lucas's head lolled on his shoulder, and Claus shifted his grip to keep his brother's limp body on his back. He could only pray that Lucas wasn't injured, that Lucas wasn't hurt, that Lucas wasn't-

"This way!" Came Ness's muffled yell.

Claus followed him deeper into the foliage.

Up ahead, Ness didn't seem to fare better. Lugging an unconscious Ninten over his shoulder, Ness clumsily barreled through like a headless chicken with no sense of direction. With thick leaves in his vision, Claus could barely squint out Ness's outline darting between the trees.

_"CLIFF!"_

With a swear, Claus skidded to a halt, digging in his heels into the rocky ground. It was lucky that Ness had shouted out in alarm, or else Claus would've stepped off the steep mountain slope.

The two boys glanced at the deep gorge beneath their feet. Falling here was certainly fatal, and running was an impossible feat. They couldn't possibly outrun their pursuers in this terrain.

Groggily, Lucas chose that opportune time to stir. Claus felt a slight sliver of hope.

"Lucas...? Listen, can you-"

"Claus," His brother giggled, brutally crushing any of Claus's hopes. "Your hair feels soft...like a baby chick..."

Nevermind. For all Claus knew, Lucas was hopelessly high and Ninten was clocked out like the dead. And now, he and Ness either faced capture or risked death by kersplatting against the ground. Lovely.

Claus felt a sinking sensation grow in the pit of his stomach. The plan had gone horribly, _horribly_ wrong.

_I shouldn't have let them go in the first place._

* * *

**Setting: Present Day.**

Claus scowled at the darkened figure in front of him. "Ninten, can you please move your smelly feet out of my face?"

"Oh, don't mind me!" Ninten's mocking politeness immediately followed. "I'm just busy making sure nothing's on the other side of this air vent waiting to _kill_ us!"

"I thought you used telepathy!"

"I did!"

"Then why aren't we moving if the coast is clear?!" Claus snapped. He could feel his numb legs cramping up in pins and needles from kneeling low on all fours, and his aching neck was starting to get painfully sore. "What the heck is taking you so long? We've been stuck down here for at least fifteen minutes!"

Ninten grunted. "I'm trying to unscrew the iron grate. It's harder than it looks."

"Align, Untwist, Pull! How much harder can it get?!"

"Easy for you to say, dumbass!" Ninten snapped, finally managing to unscrew one nail. "I've never touched a toolbox in my life and you probably did, like, at least a thousand times! Now if you'd shut up, I'd make some pretty good progress!"

They had scouted the area early in the morning. Accessing the hidden entrance was almost impossible: Giygas had set security cameras all over the place, and the doors closed too quickly for any of them to follow a Starman in. A distraction using PSI to lure out the Starmen had been suggested by Lucas, but it was immediately shot down by Ness.

_"That's a good idea, but it's not going to work," Ness pointed out. "There's no way any of us can lure the Starmen away and return in time without PK Teleport. PK Teleport still uses PSI, so I'd only be luring the Starmen back."_

_"Hold on," Claus interrupted. "What if there's another way in?"_

_"Other than the secret entrance? There's no other way-"_

_"There is. One passage." Claus dropped to all fours, brushing around twigs and spare leaves. "It was on the blueprint…" Another rustle of dried leaves. "…should be around here somewhere..."_

_"I'm still in the dark, Claus." Ninten said, frowning at the opened blueprint. "That Starmen entrance is literally the only exit in and out of the facility. There's no other way in. Well, except for the…" _

_"Found it." __Claus pointed at something embedded into the dirt. It gleamed amidst the dried, red-orange leaves. "Air vent." _

_Ninten's eyes widened. "No way."_

_Ness stared at the air vent, then slowly grinned. "You know, this__ just might work."_

_Lucas experimentally pulled the edges the iron grate. "But there's no way we can flip open this thing without PSI...Unless..." Lucas threw Claus a knowing look. "You didn't!"_

_"Yeah, I did," Claus smirked, flipping out a tiny screwdriver from his pocket. Ness and Ninten stared at him in amazement._

_"Where did you get that?" Ninten blurted out, and Claus fished out a mini toolkit from his pocket. It looked awfully familiar…_

_Claus shrugged, bending over to unscrew the iron grate. "This is Lloyd's. I was gonna give it back after my detention...but we're in a life and death situation. I'm sure he'll understand."_

It was bad enough that they were unceremoniously crammed in a small-ass air vent underground, but Ness was starting to get a headache from Claus and Ninten's quarreling. Even though Ninten had his airhead moments, he knew when to be serious, and Claus was rarely impractical.

But stuff them together in an air vent, and _Voila!_ -Instantaneous squabbling match.

It was driving Ness _insane._

"Ninten, hurry up!"

"_I said I'm trying-_"

"Trying to take your sweet time, more like-"

Ness shifted his limbs into a more comfortable position (or as least uncomfortable as he could), and sensing his exasperated mood, Lucas craned his head around in the cramped space and flashed him a pitiful excuse for a smile.

_Lucas,_ Ness groaned. _Do something._

Lucas grimaced. _I tried, but Claus keeps rising to the bait whenever Ninten says something._

"Stop pushing your shoes into my face, you fatso!" Claus snapped childishly. "Now you're doing it on purpose!"

"Oops, I'm sorry. I think I'm too _fat_ to move out of the way," Ninten said sarcastically. "Would you like me to shove my shoes deeper into your face?"

"That's enough," Ness said before Claus could retort. Both boys jolted in surprise at the new voice and nearly banged their heads onto the low ceiling. Ness looked unamused. "Ninten, let it go and focus. Claus, shut up and leave him alone."

It was remarkable how quickly his orders were carried out.

"Sorry," Ninten muttered, and Claus sulked.

Ness didn't need telepathy to know that they were both nervous. Neither of them were genuinely angry; their squabbling only seemed to be a way to deal with their rising anxiety.

_Ness, are you sure we took the correct path to the control room?_ Lucas whispered, broadcasting his thoughts to all of them.

Ness gave a mental nod. _Positive. That's what the blueprint said. _He let a slight sliver of doubt seep into his mind. _Claus, this all depends on you. Are you sure…?_

_I know my skills, _Claus's curt response came. _I can do it._

A final clatter as Ninten unscrewed the last bolt, and halted, placing his hands on the iron grate. For a few nerve-wracking seconds, he pressed his ear against the grail, and they all held their breaths. The only noises they heard, however, were the rhythmic computerized beeps and humming of machinery.

Then Ninten gripped the bars of the open grate with steady hands. _All clear. You guys ready?_

_Ready as we can ever be, _Ness said grimly.

_Here goes nothing._

Ninten pushed the iron grate open.

They pulled themselves into the darkened room like an expertly-rehearsed SWAT team. Overhead, blue, flickering screens caught their eyes, and Ninten emitted a low whistle.

"Holy crap. There's got to at least a hundred security cameras in this facility!" he breathed, transfixed by the rows of live video feed. His brown eyes flickered around. "Giygas isn't in any of these screens. He must be out somewhere…"

"I hope so," Lucas said, wary gaze never flitting away from the doorway.

Claus had darted over to the Motherboard. His fingers flew rapidly across the keyboards, and fluorescent green letters blinked up in the black screen. Several incomprehensible words popped up, then Claus expertly flicked his wrist.

The computer buzzed. **PASSWORD?**

But Claus wasn't deterred. Lloyd might be the best mechanic, and Jeff was literally their walking Science Dictionary, but Claus was no slacker in their Solar Car team. No doubt he liked robotics, but computer programming was Claus's specialty. This was _his_ domain.

He cracked his knuckles, narrowing his eyes at the screen before he got back down to business.

Several tense minutes passed.

_Giygas is clever_, Claus had to admit_._ There were some tricks in the coding that even he couldn't decipher or risk meddling with. But Claus persistently plowed through. Sweet success was within reach. Making one last omission in the sequence of letters, he jabbed down the **ENTER **button.

A cool, female voice smoothly erupted from the speakers.

**"Welcome, Giygas."**

"Hacked it," Claus smirked, stretching his legs. "Now we're in the system."

His friends' incredulous looks were totally worth the gruelling effort. Lucas laughed in relief, and Ninten pumped a fist into the air.

"Oh man! You rock, Claus!" Ninten cheered.

"And the Starmen?" Ness pressed.

"I can't deactivate the Starmen because Giygas must have wired that command somewhere else," Claus frowned. "But I managed to manipulate the coding so that all of them would recognize us as "friendly." Either way, we'll have to act quickly," Claus warned. "He's gonna find out that his computer's hacked at some point."

"Roger that," Ness said.

"Wait, is that Ana?!"

"What?" Ness whirled around in shock at Ninten's outburst. Ninten was staring at one of the security screens, and his face brightened in recognition.

"That is!" Ninten exclaimed. "And I think Paula and Picky's right next to her too!"

Ness felt hope surge into his heart. He stole a brief glance at the red-head. "Claus, can we communicate with them…?"

"On it."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Picky lowered the half-eaten mango to the ground. His appetite was gone, swallowed up by uneasiness.

"You okay, Picky?"

Startled, he looked up. Paula's kind blue eyes studied him in worry. At her question, all of the others had looked up to stare, and Picky felt his face flush. "I-I'm fine!" he squeaked.

"Are you sure nothing is ailing you?" Poo asked. He placed a hand on his forehead. "You do seem a little flushed."

Kumatora rolled her eyes and tore into another mango. "Hey kiddo, if you don't eat, you'll start feelin' worse. Trust me." Gulping down a mouthful of fruit, she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, much to Ana's revulsion. "Blech," Kumatora spat in disgust. "I absolutely _hate_ mangoes. They're too sickly sweet and soft."

Ana carefully patted the dirt off her dress. The poor blond was extremely germaphobic, and the forcefield, while seemingly sanitary within, held so much _dirt...! _

Beside her, Paula didn't look any better. Her pink dress had faded into a dirty brown; her hair, a wild crow's nest.

Shuddering, Ana hugged her knees tighter to her body. "Paula, are you sure that Ness is coming?"

Paula's confidence didn't waver. "Definitely," she said firmly.

Kumatora snorted. "Well, excuse me, _princess_, but I'm calling it. Your man ain't coming."

Paula bristled. "I believe in Ness. He's one of my best friends!"

"I agree." Poo threw Kumatora a look. "Captain Ness is very resourceful. You should not underestimate his power of the "BS-ing"."

Kumatora sighed, shaking her head. "You guys are crazy. I've been here for two months, and so far, no help's ever arrived. Face it, no one's coming."

Picky's stomach sank. Half of him wished nothing more than to crawl to the spring and drown himself in guilt. His brother had betrayed his friends, and despite the fact that they were trying to be optimistic for his sake, their worry was starting to crumble through the cracks.

Picky couldn't hold back his guilt.

"I'm sorry," Picky croaked. He couldn't bear to meet Paula's eyes. "It's my fault that all of you are stuck here. Pokey was working for Giygas just to keep me safe..."

There was a stunned silence. Poo looked uncomfortable, not knowing what to say to a child, and all of them shot him troubled looks back.

But if Ness had been the older brother Picky had wished for, then Paula was his surrogate sister.

"Picky, don't say that!" Paula whispered. She embraced him in her arms. "Pokey might have betrayed us, but it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself."

"Kiddo," Kumatora sighed, crossing her arms. "As much as I hate being stuck here, I have to agree with princess over here."

"Don't call me _princess_!" Paula flared up. Ana threw Poo an exasperated look, and Poo's lips twitched.

Truth be told, Picky was _terrified;_ he was miles away from home, stuck in an unknown place with unknown dangers, and plagued with the awful betrayal of his brother, the entire ordeal was too much for the child inside. This thought broke his limits, and instinctively, Picky acted like any other 10-year-old would. Presented with comfort, Picky buried himself into Paula's arms.

"But what if Kumatora's right, Paula?" Picky looked up in fear. "What if Ness isn't coming?"

"PSI users have dreams that can predict the future." Poo stared straight into his soul. "I, too, sense truth in Paula's prediction. Do not despair."

Kumatora rolled her eyes. "Well, I hope they come soon. I honestly don't think I can stand another day in here."

As if on cue, a giant voice crackled into existence.

**"Are you sure they can hear us?" **A voice anxiously filtered through the air.

**"Yeah. The audio should work," **Came a grumpy response. **"For the last time, Ness, I know what I'm doing."**

**"Then why aren't they saying anything?" **A similar-sounding voice wondered.

**"Because Claus is a grumpy dickface," **A fourth voice laughed. A loud smack, and then a yelp. **"Ow, OW! I was just kidding!"**

"Ness? Is that you?" Paula's eyes dawned in realization.

"Captain Ness!" Poo exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

**"Paula? Poo?" **Ness's voice excitedly rang into the air. **"Oh geez, are you guys really there?" **

Then a screen fizzled into the spherical glass, revealing four boys huddled in a darkened room glowing with machinery. Ness's face eagerly lit up.

**"Video cam activated," **Claus said absentmindedly, checking the console.

Ninten furiously waved an arm at them. **"Oh! Heya, Ana! We're here to rescue you!"**

"You're kidding me." Kumatora stared up at the giant screen. "So, Paula, this so-called "help" you've been talking about for _days_ are _these four dorks?_" Kumatora dragged a palm down her face. "We are _so_ screwed."

**"Says the person with pink hair. Trendy as fu-" **

"Shut it, loser."

**"Come to think about it, who are you again?"** Claus squinted down at her. **"So...that's Picky, Poo, Ana, Paula...yeah, I don't know. Who the heck are you?"**

Kumatora fumed. "Why you little-"

His twin materialized at Claus's side. **"Wait, we've seen her at school before, Claus!" **Lucas recognized. He snapped his fingers. **"She's that junior who went missing in our Phys Ed class...Kumatora! The captain of the wrestling team." **

"Right, and you're that blond chick who's really good at singing," Kumatora smirked, feeling some sort of satisfaction when Lucas flushed a bright pink.

**"Don't call my brother a chick, woman!" **Claus snapped.

Ness cleared his throat. **"We don't have much time to waste. Where are you guys in the research facility?"**

"Research facility?" Paula asked, bewildered. "We're in a research facility?"

"…That's quite a problem," Poo said with a frown. "None of us were awake when the enemy ambushed us."

"Actually…" Picky trailed off, and all eyes flew to him. "I regained consciousness as the Starmen were carrying me here. I don't remember much…but as soon as I caught a glimpse of a hallway, the Starmen took me further underground."

The four boys exchanged a glance. **"The basement," **they said in unison.

Sounds of fingers clicking on the touchpad erupted from the speakers, and the entrance above the glass dome slid open.

**"The exit should be open," **Claus announced. **"You're free."**

The trapped teens hesitated, eyeing the hole with skepticism.

"Great job, _ginger,"_ Kumatora said sarcastically. "Look, the entrance is several feet above a rather deep spring. We can't get out unless someone actually comes here and pulls us out with rope or something."

"We're also out of PSI," Ana said. "The glass dome absorbs psychic energy."

Ness shared a troubled expression with his friends, but when he turned back to the screen, he was smiling again. **"No sweat! We're heading over right now. I can get you guys out with PK teleport."**

"Why can't you use PK Teleport now and save us the time?" Kumatora grumbled.

**"I want to save my energy by conserving distance." **

"Please be careful," Ana said, worried.

**"We will!" **Ninten grinned, throwing them a quick salute, then the screen fizzled blank.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"…The blueprint says that the 1st floor manufactures Starmen," Ness muttered, stopping in the middle of the aisle to study the map. "The Starmen are then transported to the basement for storage."

Countless rooms they passed. Within each lay a strange concoction of machinery and Starmen parts.

A Starman passed by.

They instinctively tensed up, but Claus had done his work well. It paid them no attention and continued strolling along its path. They breathed easily again.

The sterile, blinding white-washed walls gave Claus an uncomfortable feeling. It reminded him of a hospital. Too much like a hospital.

Claus shuddered. _I hate staying down here longer than we should._

"The elevator's around the corner," Ness finally said, tracing a finger down the blueprint.

"Finally!" Claus snapped, shoving him forward. "Now can we get going?"

"Don't push me!"

"If you haven't noticed, we're in a bit of a hurry, airhead-!"

"I'm staying on this floor," Ninten's suddenly broke out.

They all froze.

"What are you talking about, Ninten?" Ness demanded.

Ninten's brown eyes shined with a strange emotion. "I want to check out Giygas's study," he said quietly.

"We don't have time," Ness pressed. "The system's not going to stay hacked for long. We need to bust everyone out safely before Giygas regains control of the-"

"I know. I want you guys to go ahead without me."

"...You've gone mad," Claus broke out, narrowing his eyes. But when Ninten didn't respond, Claus looked taken aback. "No. You're a flippin' nutcase!" Claus spat, jabbing a finger into his chest. "That's got to be the most dangerous room in the entire facility, and you want us to let you go in there _alone_?"

"Ninten, stop and listen to me. Giygas's study will definitely be guarded against intruders," Ness pointed out. His face darkened. "This isn't like the sealed desk at school. He could have all kinds of dangerous traps instead."

"I AM thinking, Ness! Can't you see?" Ninten wrung his hands desperately into the air. "Giygas is my uncle. I _need _answers. I need to know why he's acting this way. This is the best chance I've got. Please, guys. I _have_ to do this."

None of his friends reacted in favor of his declaration. Ness crossed his arms, terribly unimpressed. Claus mirrored Ness's disapproval with his trademark "What the fuck" frown, and beside him, Lucas met his eyes with an expression of sympathy.

Ninten winced. All in all, none of his friends looked like they were going to say-

"All right."

Dead silence. Ninten couldn't help but gape, ogling dumbly at whoever had uttered that unexpected response, because there was _no _way those words had come straight out of _Lucas's _mouth.

The delayed reaction was almost palpable.

Three.

Two.

One.

"WHAT?!"

"Lucas, we can't let Ninten waltz into Giygas's study alone!" Ness cried. "Ninten doesn't even know any offensive PSI! He'll be completely swamped if something attacks him!"

"I know." Lucas swallowed hard, then averted his eyes. "That's why I'll be tagging along."

"Have you gone crazy too, Lucas?!" Claus shouted, all semblance of calm completely gone. Furious, Claus strode over, halting in front of their feet. "Forget about it! It's not worth the risk!"

"No, Claus. It might be more useful than you think," Lucas said firmly, trying to be brave. He looked up into his twin's distraught eyes. "We still don't know what Giygas wants with us. If we want to stop him, then we need to understand his motives."

"I'm going with you," Claus responded in a heartbeat.

"Talk about _overprotective,"_ Ninten muttered under his breath, but Claus ignored him.

"No-can-do, Claus," Ness reluctantly said. "We'll work faster if we split up into pairs. I'm the only one who can use PK teleport and Ninten's the only person who can unlock anything sealed with Giygas's PSI. You and Lucas will have to go separate ways."

Claus shot him a scorching glare. "Whose side are you on _now?"_

"Look, I don't like it either!" Ness scowled. "But Ninten's got a fair point. We'll be a way more efficient if we split up."

"And if you haven't forgotten, Claus, as far as we know, Giygas is after _both _you and Lucas," Ninten pointed out. "Pairing you two together to wander off is just as bad as letting me go alone."

Claus hesitated. Logic clearly told him that his friends were right, even though his heart loudly screamed _no._ A thousand emotions howled and battered against his ribcage, but on the surface, Claus's face betrayed little emotion.

Lucas stepped forward. "Claus, you should go help Ness," he broke in gently. Confidence shone in those shy blue eyes. "We'll stay out of trouble. Ninten's an amazing telepath."

Frustrated, Claus ran his fingers through his own hair. "I guess I can't stop you..." Claus heaved a heavy sigh. "Don't make me regret this, Lucas."

Lucas flashed him a bright smile. "I won't," he said softly, shooting him and Ness a worried look. "You guys be careful."

"Of course," Ness gave him a cocky smirk. "We're _always_ careful."

Lucas sighed. "That's _exactly _what I'm afraid of."

Ness's eyes sparkled with wry humor. "Well, now _that's _been settled, let's set up a checkpoint. We'll meet up with you outside at our last campsite."

"Sounds good," Ninten echoed, then they all took their separate paths.

In no time, Claus and Ness found themselves waiting for the elevator. Claus tapped his foot anxiously onto the floor - the sharp _rattattat_ echoed loudly on the smooth, sickly-pristine tiles. Ness would glance at him from time to time, then dip his head to check his watch in agitation.

Another minute passed. Claus clenched his fingers, resisting the urge to tear through the hallways in search of his brother, then chanted - no, _drilled -_ the unspoken mantra into his mind.

Lucas was fine. Lucas was safe.

_Lucas was going to be okay._

Claus exhaled. The tips of his fingers trembled.

_Am I getting too over-protective?__ It's not like I don't trust Lucas - if anyone believes in him, it's me. Heck, I've lived with him long enough to know that he can take care of himself. Especially that time when- _he cut himself off. _Lucas isn't weak, but after all we've been through..._

No. Lucas was fine. Lucas was going to be okay.

Ness caught his troubled expression. "We'll see them again," he reassured, violet eyes trailing down the empty elevator shaft.

Claus said nothing. He uncomfortably hunched up his shoulders.

**DING!**

**"Level 1."**

Ness quickly jabbed the appropriate button.

**"Going to...Basement."**

Then the metallic doors clanged shut behind them like a sinister pair of closing jaws, and they descended downwards into the unknown.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The elevator ride was horribly uncomfortable.

Granted, both of them were cramped in silence and darkness, neither of which were very pleasant to begin with, but even worse was the present choice of company. Occasionally, bars of light painted Claus's pale face into existence before the surrounding gloom swallowed it up again.

Claus...

The elder twin was still an enigma to Ness, and to be honest, Ness couldn't imagine anyone more different from his blond brother.

When Ness had first met Lucas in middle school, the shy, lonely boy had somehow wormed his way into his treasured circle of close friends. Although Lucas was a little absent-minded, easily losing himself in deep train of thought, he was nothing but considerate and insightful. Even though he spoke little, it wasn't difficult to read the blond; his face was an open book, and the naive boy proudly wore his heart on his sleeve.

In contrast, Claus had instantly struck Ness as cold and sarcastic. He was direct and blunt, never afraid to point out his own opinion. If Lucas willingly opened up his heart to people around him, then Claus shut everyone out. Claus was always skeptical, always alert, always suspicious and critical of everything and everyone. In fact, after befriending Lucas, the first conversation Ness had remembered having with Claus in sixth grade went something along the lines of this:

_"Hey Claus!" Ness said brightly. "What's u-"_

_"I'm warning you," Claus cut off savagely, icy eyes narrowed in a piercing stare. "You fuck with my brother and you'll have me to answer to."_

_Ness was completely bewildered by the turn of events. "Huh?"_

_Claus cocked an eyebrow. "Don't pretend that you don't know," he said coldly. "Lucas might not be telling me, but I'm not stupid. Someone's bullying him behind my back."_

_"You think I'M behind it?!"_

_"I know your type," Claus said dismissively. "__You expect everyone to worship you because you can hit a stupid ball out of a park, then you treat us all like trash."_

_"Excuse me?" Offended, Ness clenched his fists. "I don't manipulate other people because I'm on the baseball team!"_

_"Lies. That's what you all say." Claus's eyes had suddenly turned frosty. A chill ran down Ness's spine. "A lot of people have taken advantage of my brother because he's nice. I won't let you be one of them."_

Hell, even _that _particular memory gave Ness nightmares. After that incident, Ness had been angry, and rightfully so, at being so wrongfully accused. He was almost convinced that Claus was an insane psycho who loved seeking pleasure in threatening people.

But around a week later...

_Ness fumed, clearly in a bad mood. He had gotten another crummy grade in a History assignment, and right afterwards, Pokey had confronted him in his own creepy way. Muttering obscenities under his breath, Ness stalked off, heading off to his mother's street food stand. But a flash of yellow caught his eye, and he managed to catch a red-and-yellow striped shirt whip into the men's room. _

_There was only one person who matched that description. _

_Brightening up, Ness followed with mischievous intent, ready to scare the flustered blonde out of his wits..._

_Instead, Ness was met with an unpleasant surprise._

_"Lucas?" Ness said hoarsely._

_Said boy violently flinched back from the running sink, slamming his back against the stone wall. Lucas gasped, cradling his broken arm. "N-Ness?"_

_Frightened blue eyes met startled violet. Lucas's neat hair was a bird's nest; his clothes, mussed up. Dirt caked his face, pale with pain._

_It didn't take a genius to find out what had happened. Claus's angry words filtered back into his head, and rage engulfed Ness like tsunami. "Why didn't you tell me someone was bullying you?" Ness demanded, striding forward. __Horrified realization hit him. "Has this been happening to you every day after school?"_

_"N-No! __It's no one! I-I mean," Lucas panicked. He swallowed hard. "I accidentally tripped and b-broke my arm."_

_He was obviously lying. _

_"Shit," Ness swore, making Lucas look up in alarm - Ness never cursed unless he was REALLY angry. "I'm serious, Lucas! This isn't bullying - this is torture!"_

_"No, it's not!" Lucas cried, gritting his teeth against the tears of pain. Fumbling for the sink, he heavily leaned against it with his weight. "I-I can manage...__"__  
_

_"Here." Ness slid next to him, acting as a crutch. "Lean against me. I'll help you find Claus."_

_Lucas's eyes dilated in fear. "Ness," he begged. "P-Please don't tell my brother! No one's bullying me, I swear!"_

_His unstable state rattled Ness; he had never seen Lucas act this way before. But through some light persuasion and coaxing, Ness reluctantly agreed not to tell his brother, and supported him out of the bathroom. Just as they stepped out, Claus turned the corner._

_"Lucas!" Without a second glance at him, Claus had hurried over, agitation exuding from his pores. Ness was startled by the lack of malice in those features: there was no scorching skepticism, no biting sarcasm lurking in those eyes._

_Claus's concern was genuine._

_"I found him in the bathroom," Ness said, and then that indifferent mask flitted back on. Claus scrutinized him with a piercing look, then narrowed his eyes__. At that moment, Ness was so sure that the elder twin was going to pummel him like a punching bag._

_To his surprise, Claus didn't. "Thanks," he had muttered and ushered his twin away, leaving Ness to wonder if the demonic twin had actually thanked him._

But even since then, he and Claus had never been the closest of friends. Claus had stopped eyeing him suspiciously, and they could joke around somewhat, but for some reason, Claus always seemed to resent him.

Although for what reason, Ness had no idea.

Ness frowned and stole a glance at the stoic twin. _I hope he's not mad at me for keeping my PSI a secret._

**DING!**

**"Basement."**

Stepping out, the two boys hurried down the seemingly endless hallway. The end of the corridor opened up to a magnificent room swamped by a glittering glass dome. The entrance lay open at the top, a hole in the middle of the perfect forcefield.

Ness cupped his hands to his mouth. "Paula?"

"Ness!" A happy voice. "You're here!"

"About time," Came Kumatora's grumpy response.

Ness stepped forward, keeping his gaze fixed on the glass. "Claus, can you-?"

"No need to ask," Claus said bluntly, readying a sparking finger towards the doorway. "I'll watch your back. Hurry though."

Ness flashed him a grin. "Great." The familiar sensation of energy rushed to his limbs like a sugar high, and then he shouted. "PK TELEPORT!"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Claus didn't have to wait long. In a few minutes, there was a flash, and a loud coughing as several, soot-covered people materialized in front of him.

"Wow, that actually worked!" Ness announced gleefully, his eyes blinking brightly amidst the soot on his face.

"About time it did," Paula smirked, poking him teasingly on the shoulder. "Have you been practicing elemental PSI like I taught you?"

"Just PK Fire," Ness said sheepishly. Paula glowered at him, and Ness prepared to bolt for dear life...but to his surprise, he was roughly pulled into a tight hug. Blinking dumbly, Ness looked down into her hair. "Uh, what-"

A finger stopped his lips. "Shush."

With a slow grin, Ness accepted her comfort and closed his eyes. Paula was here, safe and sound in his arms. All of his friends were all right.

"You actually came," Paula whispered, finally releasing him from her embrace. All the worry she had been hiding behind her confident mask shone through watery eyes. "For so long, I thought-"

"No way," Ness said firmly. "I'd never abandon you guys."

Suddenly, Paula leaned in and pecked him gratefully on the cheek.

Ness gaped, feeling his cheeks beginning to burn. His last coherent thought dissolving into gibberish, he melted into a puddle. _Uhbublurbglub..._

Paula gave an amused giggle, and Kumatora rolled her eyes in exasperation.

She wasn't the only one unimpressed by the sappy moment.

"Ew, get a room," Claus said, scrunching up his nose.

Paula shot him a look. "Do you have something to say_?_" she asked in a dangerously sweet voice.

Claus rolled his eyes, waving her away with a hand. "Not at all. Please, continue making out in front of my face-"

Paula's hands erupted into flames.

Claus warily inched away. "...Or not."

Ana made her way over, clothes finally free of ash. "Thanks for getting us out of there," she said sincerely. "We all owe you one." Turning her head, she spotted Claus, and her eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, and hello, Lucas!"

Claus sighed, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm _Claus,"_ he droned in the manner of someone who had encountered this mistake too many times.

Aside from their contrasting personalities, Lucas and Claus were physically identical in almost any manner: body build, height, and even hairstyle. The only noticeable difference was that Claus's hair was a darker amber-brown shade from the brighter orange-yellow honey hue of his twin. This difference was often very subtle, and had even taken Ness and Ninten a while to recognize and set them apart by sight. Ana, who had never actually spoken to the twins before, would have every reason to be confused.

Catching her mistake, Ana held a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry," she flustered. "I saw you with Ness, so I assumed that you-"

"No, it's okay." Claus waved off her apology, trying to ignore the slight twinge of annoyance that surged at the hint that his brother hung around Ness often. "People mistake me for my twin all the time."

Ness smirked, finally getting over his _blurbablurb _moment. "You for Lucas? Please. You're the least Lucas-like person I know."

Claus rolled his eyes. "I could secretly be Lucas in disguise."

Ness did a double take. He carefully studied the twin, before his face perked into a sly grin. "Stop bluffing."

"Oh, well." Claus shrugged his shoulders. "It was worth a shot."

Picky could only stare at Ness, mouth agape in speechless shock. For a second, Ness worried that his sudden, energetic display of PSI had been too much for the boy for handle...before the young boy burst into an excited ramble, "Wooooow. Did we teleport? That. Was. Wicked!" He eagerly bounced on his heels. "Can we do that again?"

"Woah, there!" Ness protested with a chuckle, ruffling Picky's hair. "Glad to see you're safe in one piece, Picky. Let's get you home."

Picky shook his head in amazement. "First Paula, and now you...You never told me you had supernatural powers!"

"You never asked," Ness laughed, before placing his lopsided baseball hat on the blond's head.

"Captain."

Ness turned his head to face the new speaker, and his grin widened. "Poo!"

"It is a relief that you have managed to escape from Giygas's clutches," Poo stated, slanted eyes surveying their surroundings. "I apologize that I have not perfected the "curving ball" yet, but I was more preoccupied with the thoughts of my own survival."

"You don't have to keep calling me Captain, Poo." Ness stifled a laugh. "And it's okay. Let's just work on baseball _after_ we clean up this mess-"

"Yeah, yeah, everyone is happy, butterflies for all, we get it. Let's get a move on," Kumatora cut in impatiently. With a sudden burst of energy, she punched a fist straight into the wall. A cocky smirk decorated her face. "Oooh, man, I've been wanting to punch something solid for _age__s_."

"You're weird," Claus deadpanned.

"You're one to talk, _freckleface,"_ Kumatora snapped back.

Ness stepped in between them before they could continue arguing. "Claus," he warned.

Claus sulked sullenly. "I won't fight unless she does."

"So how do we get out?" Picky quipped, respectfully offering Ness back his cap. His eyes shone with trust and hope; Ness and Claus's arrival seemed to have boosted the little boy's morale.

Plopping the hat back onto his unruly black hair, Ness pointed down the hallway. "We take the elevator up, then I'll use PK Teleport. We escape into the wilderness, meet up with Ninten and Lucas outside, then make a break for it. Quick and easy."

Paula frowned, crossing her arms. "Ness, I really hate to be that pessimistic person, but don't you think this all went a little _too_ peacefully?"

"Paula's right," Poo added, studying the corridor with rising suspicion. "Giygas did his best to keep us trapped inside, and somehow, you and your friends were mysteriously able to sneak in without a problem." He narrowed his eyes in a grim line. "This makes me uneasy..."

"Relax, we stole his blueprint and hacked into his computer. Giygas won't realize until we're long gone," Ness laughed. "What could possibly happen?"

Then a shrill alarm squawked loudly, revolving a flashing red. Immediately, they clapped their hands to their ears.

**"Intruders Alert! ****Intruders Alert!"**

Kumatora stiffened, causing all of them to halt behind her at the screeching sound. Picky squeaked in fright, almost bumping into an equally surprised Ana. Poo and Paula exchanged startled looks.

Ness stared at Claus in disbelief. "I thought you disabled the security!"

"I did," Claus said slowly. "We didn't set the alarm off. Someone else did."

Comprehension dawning onto their faces, the awful realization finally struck.

"Ninten!"

"_Lucas!_"

* * *

**Author's Note****: Hey guys!**

**Nothing much to say this time. :) Got this chapter earlier in than I thought. This chapter was a nice break from the heavy, contemplative chapter 14. Sorry; that thing was _long_, but necessary.**

**It should be everyone's goal in life to have a theme song. Just imagine all those dramatic entrances as people arrive to class. It'll be like one, giant, weird musical.**

**ConnortheSpelingPro: Thank you! And definitely, if you're busy, I totally understand. :) Even if you can't find time to review, I respect your time. :) On the other hand...There so many characters. DX Hopefully they can stand out...sort of. On another note, we'll be getting plenty of flashback to better understand the main characters.**

**KaguTheGreat: YAS! XD Mr. Saturns are so interesting; I read their entire dialogue on the Mother 3 Walkthrough. On the other hand, I wanted to put the Photo Guy into the story for comic relief...but he's such a weirdo xD**

**Angel-Woof: Ahhh thank you. :) Your support is appreciated. And yes, perhaps the Mr. Saturns may be important later...Who knows? I'm glad that you liked that chapter. xD It wasn't the best in terms of flow, but it tied in everything I needed. Hopefully the future updates won't disappoint. :)**

**CrankySky: Yeah. xD Everyone else was like "huh, random pedo photoman" and Claus was like "Nooo!" DX That Photo man is really weird though haha xD And yes, Kumatora makes her entrance in this chapter. :'D I totes agree with you; she's one badass girl.**

**PizzaPower: Oh, that's easy to answer! The choir teacher was...She was...**

**... **

**...Oh no. Beware the PEDOS! O_O **

**In all seriousness, I was more or less thinking that Lucas was washing his hands or something, and the choir teacher was just passing by. xD But you're right, I could've worded it better haha**

**DarkFoxKit: Yeah, I thought Lucas needed some POV time. xD Poor boy needs more attention. And yeah...he's either going to have to get over his stage fright somehow, or refuse the offer. What a Tuff Choice. D: And thanks for the compliment. :) I love writing sibling-sibling fluff too much for my own good...Oh no, what have I done?**

**Readergirl27: I'm glad you enjoyed the humor. :) Humor is so hard to write. D: I wish it came naturally to me - it'd make this story a lot easier to write. xD The duet between Ninten and Lucas was based on my own passion for music, and I can play three different instruments. xD But I can't sing for my life. ;_; The weather is already slightly chilly, but yes, it will get colder later (Hooray for snow!) :D**

**PKLoveGamma: Thank you. :) As for what purpose the whistle provides...we'll find out at some point. ;)**

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	16. Red-Green-Yellow-Yellow

**Setting: _Past._**

"Everything's gonna be okay."

That used to be his father's slogan. Even in the darkest of days, his father had stubbornly believed that things were always going to get better. And so, for all of his life, Ness lived by it.

As a young child, Ness was oblivious to his parent's worsening financial situation. He was too young to know that his father, who would always find time to play _catch_ with him in the backyard, was secretly stressed out from debt and unemployment. Ness had no idea that his parents would hunch over their bills late at night, discussing and worrying about their financial woes. All he remembered was that they were happy, and that was good enough reason for him to be happy as well.

But now, Ness was confused. The loud voices were back more frequently. The yelling. The shouting.

Pain.

Hurt.

Anger.

He hated it so much.

It first took root like a deadly disease. His workaholic father had finally found a new occupation with a high payroll, but the job was so time-consuming that he never even found time to come home, preferring to sleep in his office. If the embodiment of a living ghost existed, it was he.

His absence in Ness's Youth Baseball Tournaments became ever-increasingly consistent. At first, Ness had tried to convince himself with half-hearted excuses. No way was it because his father didn't love him. Perhaps his father had an incredibly important staff meeting. Or maybe his father was too tired from work. But at one point, the man had stopped coming altogether.

Finally, after his team had narrowly lost Semifinals in a crushing defeat, Ness had mustered the courage to call his office, hoping that his father would respond with _something,_ anything to break the cold, painful silence.

One ring.

Two.

Then: "I'm sorry, champ. Daddy's busy right now," and the line closed with an abrupt _click_, leaving behind a young boy clutching the plastic phone receiver with nothing and everything to say.

Arguing and bickering rang in his weary ears. That's all his parents seemed to do these days.

"Ness, honey, why don't you go check on Tracy?" His mother suggested to him in that strained smile. His father stood behind her in the kitchen with a frustrated, weather-beaten exhaustion weighing his features.

Ness wasn't fooled. A fifth grade child he might be, but he knew what was going to come next. As soon as he disappeared upstairs, the angry voices would start. First came the harsh, barely-audible whispers. Within minutes, voices would rise, and the awful shouting began. Then there was the rough slamming of a car violently peeling away from the parking lot, and a broken woman's sobbing.

It happened every time.

Ness knew. He counted. One-hundred-and-twelve times.

"Please don't fight," Ness begged with a childish innocence, even though he knew it was a hopeless cause.

His mother almost seemed to break down in distress right there and then, but managed to keep her facade up. She embraced him reassuringly, and Ness closed his eyes. The faint scent of rosemary and honey tickled his nose as his mother's warm hand ran through his unruly black hair.

"Oh, sweetie," she whispered. "Sometimes moms and dads argue, but we still love each other very much."

"Promise?"

His father's own violet eyes softened. "We promise, champ. Everything's gonna be okay." He warmly plopped his baseball cap into his son's head. "Now run along to your sister like a good champ."

Fingering the bill of his father's prized, over-sized baseball cap, Ness forced a smile. "Okay," he managed to say through numb lips, _but __it wasn't __okay it never was and the anger and pain and sadness would cycle over again-_

He bolted upstairs. Less than five minutes later, the awful bickering began.

"You haven't answered the phone or come home in two months! Don't you care about the children? What about Tracy? What about Ness? You know how heartbroken he gets when you're never around!"

"My new job will get us out of debt more quickly!"

"Oh, is that all you're worried about now? Our debt? We _have_ money! And as soon as the sales for my next novel come in, we'll have enough money to pay the debt off! Look at you - You're going to wear yourself out at this rate!"

"Okay, so my job's a little more demanding than I expected! So what? We could use the extra money! Look at our rent! We barely paid that off after the car broke down!"

It was the One-hundred-and-thirteenth time. The One-hundred-and-thirteenth lie.

Two days later, his parents filed the divorce. Ness never saw his father again.

His mother had been nothing but supportive of her children after the divorce. She was a tough cookie, yet soft in the inside, and Ness loved her so. But sometimes, he caught the wistful look in her eyes, the solemn brooding he seemed to have inherited. They were far from poor, but his mother worked hard to keep the three of them afloat.

Sure, his father now called from time to time. He wasn't a bad person. His parents were still civil on the phone. Every time Ness picked up the dial, his father would call him _champ_ in that warm voice of his, and Ness could close his eyes and imagine that he was there right next to him, watching another college baseball game camped out on the poofy, red armchair in the living room on a dusk-lit Saturday evening.

But whenever his father called, Ness couldn't help but ask every time: "...Mom misses you a lot. When are you coming home?"

And each time, he would get the same weary response: "One day, when you're older, champ, you'll understand."

In hindsight, the divorce seemed inevitable. But Ness had hoped. He couldn't imagine his parents suddenly living apart from each other. That's what strangers did right? Not his mom and dad. His mom and dad loved each other.

But that was when the walls of reality brutally crashed down onto his head. Gone was the childhood innocence, the delusions, the lies. There was only truth, and cold, hard truth dictated one awful fact: His father was never coming back.

Everything was not going to be okay.

* * *

**Setting: Present_._**

Kumatora eyed the wailing siren.

"-and there goes the alarm," she declared dryly. "Good thing your friends are waiting outside the room for back-up, right?" Kumatora laughed. "I mean, _please_, you've got to be stupid if you let them wander around this place alone!"

When neither Ness nor Claus laughed along with her, Kumatora abruptly stopped. She caught the panicked expressions on their faces, then groaned. "..._please_ tell me you're not serious."

"They must have accidentally set off the alarm," Ness said weakly.

Kumatora swore loudly. "Motherfuc-"

Paula clapped her hands against a squirming Picky's ears. "We have children present," she snapped.

"Oh. I'm sorry, _princess._"

"I told you not to call me _princess_!"

"Ness?" Picky looked up at him with terrified eyes. "What do we do now?"

Ness snapped out of his reverie. Someone had to take control before the situation spiraled out of hand.

"Okay, change of plans," Ness said. "We can't all track down Lucas and Ninten together. It'll waste too much time, and we'll all end up getting captured."

"I'm not leaving Lucas behin-"

"I didn't say we were, Claus," Ness said curtly, fixing his eye on all of them. "Claus and I will track down Lucas and Ninten. In the meantime, the rest of you should head home."

As expected, there was an immediate flurry of outrage.

"Captain, think again-"

"Heck no!" Paula exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. "Ness, I can help you just fine!"

Kumatora scowled. "Talk about sexist!" she snapped at Ness, flexing a buff bicep. "What makes you think I'm not as capable of taking down enemies as you are?"

"Talk about arrogant," Claus drawled.

"Screw off, ginger."

"HEY!" Ness shouted so loudly that even Kumatora and Claus fell silent. As much as Ness loathed to part with his friends so soon, he knew the situation couldn't be helped. "Listen, I don't doubt any of you, okay? But we need someone to head over to the police, or tell our friends and family what's going on."

"Then why don't you two go home and leave this to us?" Kumatora countered, narrowing her eyes.

"From what I've heard, you know Duster pretty well," Claus said, crossing his arms. "Do you know his dad?"

"Old Man Wess? Of course, I do! That guy works for the police!"

"Well, there you go. Then the police would take your account more seriously than any of ours," Claus countered, drawing his features into a scowl. "Look, I hate to admit it, but you're our best shot."

"We _have _to get down to the bottom of this," Ness added. "Besides, if you haven't forgotten, someone needs to bring Picky home." Ness tried to sway the older girl, who still looked skeptical. "_Please_, Kumatora."

"No, Ness! Let me tag along!" Picky suddenly blurted out, frantically waving his arms around. "I'll...I'll do anything!"

"Picky-"

"My brother betrayed everyone. I need to fix his mistakes." His bottom lip quivered. "I-I...I swear I'll be good!"

Something about Picky's wavering voice touched him, and Ness crouched down to his height. "Picky," he said firmly. "This isn't anyone's fault except Giygas's, okay? You can't use PSI, and the last thing we need is for you to get hurt." With warm eyes, Ness patted him on the shoulder. "You shouldn't keep your brother waiting."

Picky sniffled, then wiped his eyes with a nod.

Kumatora's fierce expression softened by a fraction. "Alrighty then." She cracked her knuckles and called out loudly, "Let's hit the road, people! If those Starmen cross my path, I'm gonna show them who's punk," she growled. "Messin' with me was the worst mistake Giygas could've ever made."

"I, too, will escort Picky home safely. PK teleport Beta should help us escape from the facility." Poo flexed his hands. "Unfortunately, I am out of PSI...Ness, if I may...?"

"Go for it."

Poo closed his eyes, tapping into Ness's PSI core. Ness felt his energy diminish slightly, then Poo straightened up. "Thank you. I did not take much, but it is sufficient enough for me to teleport us a considerable distance away from here."

"Wonderful," Kumatora said, striding away with ill-concealed impatience. "C'mon, Pee. Enough talk, more action!"

"For the last time, my name is POO!" the distraught boy groaned, all of his characteristic patience spent. Kumatora rolled her eyes.

"Lighten up, I was just teasing...JINX!" she exclaimed, slapping him on the back. Her gleeful cackle bounced down the hallway. "Hahaa! I'll never get sick of this!"

"Don't mind her, Poo," Ness muttered sympathetically. "I'm sure she's not serious."

Poo sighed like a defeated man. "Patience is a virtue," he grumbled, before drawing himself to full height. "We won't let you down, Captain."

"We might not be there for you four, but we'll be rooting for you all the same," Ana said quietly, ushering Picky over to Poo's side.

Ness grinned. "Likewise to you both. Safe travels."

Paula narrowed her eyes. "You'd better not don't die on us, bighead boy."

Ness chuckled, fingering the brim of his cap. "Everything's gonna be okay," he promised. Paula recognized his catch-phrase, and spared him a weak smile.

"Wait. Take this," Claus said absentmindedly, tossing something small and metallic into the air. A surprised Paula caught the tiny screwdriver with her palm, and Claus gestured to the metal cuffs on their arms. "That should take care of those tracking devices."

"Thanks," Paula said gratefully. "And Claus?"

Said twin snapped his attention back to her.

"I'm sure Lucas and Ninten are both fine," Paula said, placing her hands on her hips in a sudden look of blazing confidence. "Don't lose hope!"

Claus said nothing, but his tense shoulders relaxed by a barely-noticeable fraction.

All of them averted their eyes as Poo began to dash around in a circle. Sparks flew, light seared their sockets. Then with a blinding flash of light and popping crackle of energy, their friends vanished without a trace.

_Everything's gonna be okay. _Ness sure hoped he didn't have to eat those words any time soon.

An antsy Claus yanked him out of his thoughts. "Great. They escaped. Let's go already!" he cried out, dragging Ness down the hallway.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Luck was not on their side. Just as the two boys broke into a mad dash for the elevator, it opened with a cheery _Ding!_

**"Basement."**

"Son of a goat!" Claus swore when several Starmen piled out of the elevator.

There was a loud _crack _of a bat hitting steel, then Ness's cry erupted beside him. "Gigyas must have upgraded these things!"

_"Fine._ Let's try this again," Claus gritted his teeth. "PK LOVE!"

Instantly, Claus doubled over as sheer exhaustion forced him to his knees. The uncontrollable blast of power wildly ricocheted off into random directions, shredding through the metal like paper. A blue hexagon hit his hand, and Claus hissed, recoiling as if someone had stabbed his palm with a sharp, cold dagger.

Next to him, Ness shouted out in pain as another wayward hexagon sliced his knee. "Ow! Watch where you're aiming!"

"I don't understand!" Claus yelled in frustration. When Lucas had used PK Love, the blue, shimmering hexagons hadn't hurt him or his friends. His PSI was safe, powerful, and controlled.

_Why are my powers so destructive?_

"There's too many of them!" Seizing his shirt, Ness shoved him into a vacant room as more Starmen poured in from the elevator. Ness wrenched the metal door over, and with a protesting groan, it crawled across its metal railings at a painfully slow pace. Claus leaped to his feet, throwing his body against the mammoth-sized weight. A last shudder, a sharp click, then the door locked itself in place.

Heavy breathing filled the deserted room.

"PK Teleport?" Claus panted, and Ness shook his head.

"Not enough PSI," he grunted, and Claus swore again. They had just locked themselves into a dead end with no way out.

_Deja Vu._

Rapid indents punched the plate of metal. A robotic drone echoed through the premises. "You. Shall. Not. Pass!"

"What an original quote," Claus said sarcastically.

Trudging over, Ness opened his mouth to respond before falling flat on his face. Hoisting himself back up, he winced and rubbed at his sore knees, wondering what had tripped him in the first place.

A cardboard box.

Ness frowned, and slowly traced the strange trail of boxes with his eyes.

Nothing noteworthy here. A messy pyramid pile of bulky packages and precious robotic parts was dumped in the center of the room. A tongue of envelopes fluttered here and there. In short, it looked as though some giant puke monster had barfed out mail from the ceiling.

The ceiling...

Ness's breath hitched in his throat. His eyes slowly traveled up.

_Where there's a mail room, there's always a mail chute._

Ness desperately began clearing out a way to the center of the mail chute.

Claus frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Help me clear this stuff out," Ness grunted.

Realization seemed to dawn on him, and Claus materialized at his side. Together, they pushed at the cardboard boxes. Package after package toppled out of the way, and hard contents clattered and clanked against the hard tiles. Within a few seconds, they were gazing up at the murky, gaping chute hanging high above their heads.

"Wonderful," Claus deadpanned. "...if only we knew how to _magically_ sprout wings in less than sixty seconds."

_**SMASH!** _

A Starman punched clean through the door, and Claus jumped. "We could stack the boxes up to the top..." he skeptically trailed off, but both of them knew that it was an impossible feat. The mail chute was too high, and they were running out of time. Fast.

Suddenly, Ness started taking off his shoes and socks.

Claus cocked an eyebrow. "Ness, what are you-"

"Claus." That mad glint was back. "I have a crazy idea."

Said twin eyed him warily. "What is it?"

"It might sound weird, but just trust me," Ness continued, stuffing his shoes into his bag. "If you do, then there might be a good chance that we can get out of this alive."

"Okay, _brilliant,"_ Claus hissed. He hazarded a glance towards the half-shredded metal door. If robots had emotions, then it was obvious that the Starmen were _not happy._ As their dead stares prickled his skin, Claus jerked his head away. "Are you actually going to tell me what your _crazy idea_ is, or are we just going to stand here forever?"

"Newton's Third Law."

"Newton's Third...what?"

"For every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction," Ness quoted.

Claus scowled. "I know what Newton's Third Law is!" he snapped. "I take physics with you!"

"Glad to know, Claus," Ness said vaguely, crouching down low. "Now hop onto my back."

"...Excuse me?"

There was an awful crunch of metal as the door smashed in half. It was only a matter of seconds before the Starmen flooded into the room.

"Claus," Ness said in an unusually calm voice that left no room to argue. "Unless you want to die a slow, painful death, I suggest that you hop onto my back. _Now_."

Claus caught the no-nonsense tone in Ness's voice, and for once did as he was told. Grumbling under his breath (This is _so embarrassing..._), he reluctantly swept a foot between Ness's linked arms and straddled his waist. It was a ridiculously comical sight; Claus was at least a head taller than Ness, which meant that his lanky legs dangled awkwardly from their piggy-back ride. Staggering to his feet, Ness rose, readjusting his grip to balance their added weight.

"You're heavy," Ness grunted.

Claus's face was as beet red as his flaming hair. "Well?" he snapped.

"Cast a Shield around us."

Claus closed his eyes. "Done."

Ness smirked, storing up his PSI like a soda can. "Now hang on tight."

Claus's eyes widened, finally getting the gist of his plan. "Oh no. Bad idea, Ness. _Really_ bad idea-"

"PK FIRE!" Ness yelled, gleefully shooting out an explosive shock wave of energy from his feet.

To this day, Claus would never admit how loudly he screamed when they shot up the mail chute like a bottle rocket.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ninten had felt both relieved and uneasy when Lucas had volunteered to tag along: Relief because he wasn't alone in his suicidal plight; uneasiness because he now had to worry about the well-being of another person.

So much for a solo mission.

Ninten was _very aware _that he was the reason they had all decided to split up. If anyone got screwed over now, he knew he was to blame.

Sneaking a look at his cautious companion, who was silently trailing behind him like a ghost, Ninten couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Despite Lucas's calm show of confidence earlier, the blond's disquiet pulsed through the air. He was no doubt clearly worried about their other party.

Ninten didn't blame him. Even he himself had to wonder the same.

Had it been wise to pair Claus up with Ness?

Whenever Lucas was absent, Ninten could sense the unmistakable, unspoken tension clashing between the two hotheads. Sure, Claus wasn't the nicest guy in the world, and Ninten bickered with him 24/7, but there was nothing serious behind their words, no actual weight behind their quarreling.

Claus's attitude towards Ness, though, was a whole, different story. It wasn't exactly mean...but it wasn't exactly friendly either.

Perhaps Ninten was just worrying over something trivial; not everyone clicked together easily, and Claus was no exception. But whatever the reason, it didn't help that both of his friends were incredibly stubborn. He could almost _smell_ disaster; it was only a matter of time before that tension was going to splatter into a huge mess again, and Ninten did _not_ want to play "counselor."

Seriously. Counseling either of them was like placing TNT into a blazing inferno, and then sweet-talking the bomb not to explode.

"They'll be fine," Ninten muttered, more or less to reassure himself, and Lucas nodded.

In a weird way, Ninten missed Claus's snide side-remarks. Lucas's silence - although far from cold - felt terribly awkward, and even though Claus could be brash as hell, the deadpan snarker managed to make fun of every awful situation with his sarcasm.

A heavy set of iron-studded double doors glared over them. Thick, pristine chains embraced the steel doors shut, looping themselves around an ornate, golden key lock. A tremendous buzz of magnificent power washed over them.

They shivered.

Lucas looked awed. "Is that-"

"Giygas's PSI," Ninten said quietly, unrolling his sleeves and placing his bare palm against the lock. It was cold and frigid like ice. Chills crept up from his fingertips into his spine.

There was no need to talk.

The pair tensed anxiously, watching Ninten's palm glow and flicker like a dying lantern. They couldn't have been less prepared; neither of them had any inkling of what could happen, much less of what awaited them on the other side.

Apprehension set Ninten's imagination aflame. The words, "Giygas's study," immediately painted a fictitious mental image of a creepy, dark dungeon lurking with medieval torture devices. Rusty shackles hung from damp, cold stone walls. Ninten was willing to bet that Giygas himself was waiting, ready to pop out of some 18th Century coffin like a weird birthday surprise, and then sic his army of manufactured zombies on them to tear out their skulls and - God forbid! - eat their brains.

Ninten was happy with where his brain was right now, thank you very much.

His thoughts must have accidentally seeped out of his mind, because Lucas involuntarily shuddered. _Please, Ninten! We're buried several feet underground. I don't want to think about the living dead!_

Y_ou can't blame me_. _Giygas tears you apart if you get a question wrong!_

_Have you been watching Walking Dead?_

_That's not the point!_

They were interrupted when Ninten's palm flashed a brilliant white. With an ominous _clatter,_ heavy-weight chains slithered away from the keyhole. The latch unlocked with a stiff _clack_.

Ninten's heart bolted into his throat. For several agonizing seconds, the two boys eyed the dark sliver of forbidden space in high trepidation.

"...I guess we should enter," Ninten said weakly.

They cautiously stepped into the gloom.

Almost immediately, buzzing fluorescent lights flickered on, assaulting their eyes and illuminating the entire room in a cold, sickly-pristine white. When his eyes had finally adjusted to the sudden brightness, Ninten surveyed his surroundings in surprise.

He was sorely disappointed.

The study looked rather plain and ordinary. An oak desk sat in the center of the room, surrounded by several of those generic, green file cabinets you could buy at WalMart. With such a carefully-crafted, ornate lock on the double doors outside, Ninten had been expecting something little more interesting than...well, _this_.

What a huge let-down.

_Ninten, _Lucas reminded quietly. _Focus._

His nerves were starting to get the best of him. Ninten cursed. _Right_._ It won't happen again. _He glanced at the wooden furniture. _I'll sweep his desk. You crack open the file cabinets._

Lucas nodded, then strode over to the other side of the room, carefully yanking a drawer open. Silently, they searched for something - _anything - _that would shed further light on their situation.

Time ticked by. Their seconds were definitely numbered; each _tick_ of the wall clock set Ninten's jittery nerves ablaze. A bead of moisture rolled down his forehead. The skin on his neck burned from sheer adrenaline.

Ninten carelessly snatched and fumbled for the stack of papers. The search itself was a scavenger hunt; graded Calculus tests mixed themselves between other sheets, and Ninten thought he might have seen his own exam before it disappeared in the massive fray. He was tempted to flip back and look at his score (_Damn, I really hope I did well on that related rates quiz_), but he managed to check himself in time.

A particularly old, patchy-frayed yellow document caught his eye, and Ninten smoothed it out. Age and time had rubbed away some of the words and delicately inked scribbles. Yet as Ninten quickly skimmed down the walls of text, a few decipherable sentences jumped out and caught his eye.

**_19XX_**

**_"The disease is resistant to PSI. Any attempts to heal the suffering victim with PSI Life UP or PSI Healing is temporary. Death is inevitable..."_**

**_"...She is growing weaker by the day. I can feel it. Every night, I sit by her bedside, clutching her hand, and her pulse grows ever weaker. She is dying, and there is nothing I can do to stop it..."_**

**_"...Seven Needles. The Shaman mentioned that the tremendous power needed to pull a Needle stems straight from the heart, which explains why only PK Love users are destined for such a task..."_**

**_"...under New Pork City..."_**

**_ "George told me that my nephew, Ninten, can also use PSI. This is it. This is the moment the Shaman had been speaking of. I must find another job to blend in, to keep a closer eye on this remarkable generation of people in this city..."_**

None of this gibberish made sense. Frustrated, Ninten took a deep breath and massaged his temples.

_Think, Ninten. Think like you're in Mock Trial. What would you do?_

Whenever he was presented with a complicated court case, he would try to break it down. Keep things simple.

So it was what Ninten did.

Carefully, he ordered the deductions in his head with a methodical steadiness, then racked his brains in an attempt to crack the mystery. Based on the document, he tried listing hypothetical events in chronological order:

**1\. Something big had happened - a catastrophe so unsettling that it had somehow motivated Giygas to do...whatever he was planning now.**

**2\. The Shaman - the name was capitalized so he or she was obviously of some importance - had foretold the existence of a PK Love user in this city.**

**3\. As he waited for the Shaman's prediction to come true, Giygas stayed undercover as a Math Teacher. Onett was small enough to have only _one_ highschool. Education was mandatory. It would have given Giygas the perfect opportunity to keep an eye on a sizable population of teenage students without stirring suspicion.**

But everything didn't add up. Ninten knew he was still missing the main point...

_What makes PK Love users so special aside from their vast PSI core? Heck, even a two-year-old from the streets could pull out a sewing needle stuck in the ground. Why does he_ _want Lucas and Claus so badly for that? _

_And w__hat the heck are the "Seven Needles"? Some radical 70's boy band?_

Ninten resisted the urge to bash his head against the desk and glared at the now-messy pile of papers.

_And if all he needed was someone with PK Love, why did he even bother keeping the other students? Ana did mention that the glass dome absorbs PSI, so Giygas is milking all the PSI he could possibly get, but what's he doing with that massive store of energy? He can't possibly be giving it all to his fleet of Starmen Juniors. _

But Ninten could deduce one thing from this entire, confusing mess: his uncle was crazy.

Lucas's worried voice interrupted his thoughts. "Are you feeling okay?"

That was when Ninten realized that his entire face was drenched in sweat. The same uncomfortable warmth which he had flippantly attributed to the anxiety and adrenaline had surprisingly remained; his body showed no signs of cooling down.

"You're right," Ninten said, surprised, but shrugged his concern off. "Eh. I think it's a little hot in here or something." Ninten cocked an eyebrow at him. "Why? Did you find something important?"

"Not really." Lucas turned his attention back to the file cabinets. "Most of these are a bunch of order forms for Starmen parts. Did you?"

"Kind of. Once we get out of this mess, I'll fill you in later."

Ignoring Lucas's curious expression, Ninten glued his eyes back onto the antique parchment for any facts he might have missed. After a few seconds, he snuck a quick side-glance, and to his relief, Lucas had gone back to flipping through paperwork. Stuffing the old parchment into his jeans, Ninten crawled under the desk, opening and closing sealed drawers. There seemed to be nothing important down here either...

_Having fun digging through my property, Ninten?_

Ninten jerked his head up, almost slamming his head into the wooden desk. His blood tingled, turning to ice at the horribly familiar voice in his mind. ..._Giygas_.

_Correct._

Ninten's narrowed eyes flickered at the pallid walls as if he could see his uncle. _Show yourself._

_Foolish child. _An amused tone. _Did you think I wouldn't have noticed my missing blueprint? _

Ninten froze in dismay. Horrible realization sank into his mind. _You knew we were here all along._

_Yes and no,_ Giygas admitted. _When you managed to escape from my clutches, I knew that you couldn't resist checking out my research facility. So I waited. _There was a dangerous edge to his voice. _Kudos for hacking into my system. You almost fooled me, but __I'm afraid that your little "coup de main" will stop right here._

_Good luck with that, **Uncle**._

_You're lucky that I'm rather fond of you, dear **nephew**. _His tone hardened. _Give up__. You are fighting for a lost cause._

_Giygas,_ _I'm not falling for your ploy twice._

_This is no ploy. Surrender and join me. I have no intention of harming you._

_I'm not surrendering,_ Ninten retorted. _If you promise to leave us alone, then we have a deal._

A heavy sigh of frustration. _Foolish child, listen to what I have to say. Go home. Go home and pretend that none of this had ever happened._

_It's kind of hard to pretend that nothing's ever happened if you're keeping half of my friends hostage!_

_They're not hostages. Your foolish friends have been my helpful guests. I have taken care of them during their stay. Water. Food. All the essentials needed to care for foolish children. No one was harmed._ Icy eyes bored into his skull._ I was going to release them all in due time. They will be of no use for me._

Ninten hesitated. Was Giygas telling the truth? Did he really plan to release all his hostages in the first place?

Giygas caught onto his hesitation. _You know that __I'm a reasonable man__.__ I will return your friends. A__ll I have is a small request._ False concern dripped from his lips like pure honey._ I know that Lucas is in there with you right now. If you don't mind, I'd like to borrow him for a short while._

_Liar! _Ninten spat, and Giygas fell silent._ You can't trick me to betray one of my closest friends. You nearly strangled him to death!_

_Everything was under control._

_My great grandmother would be turning in her grave if she saw you now, _Ninten said in disgust.

_Leave Maria out of this!_ Giygas snapped, tone suddenly cold._ You don't understand. I need him for my plans. Too much is at stake!_

_What exactly are you planning, Giygas?!_

_Will you reconsider my offer? _

_Absolutely not! _

_Then we have nothing to talk about, foolish child. _The arctic zero tone sent shivers down Ninten's spine in dread. _D__on't __come crying to me when you fall into one of my traps._

Confusion._ What traps?_

_I hope you enjoy TaneTane mushrooms._

The world unfroze, and Ninten tumbled out of his mental conversation. Teetering unsteadily to the side, he gasped, then instinctively slapped his hands onto the desk to steady his balance-

_**Snip.**_

At the dreadful sound of cut string, Ninten's eyes slowly flickered to his left hand...

Which had landed on a cleverly-concealed trip wire.

_Oh no._

The alarm blared loudly. **"Intruders alert! Intruders alert!"**

"Lucas, we need to get out of here! NOW!"

A pneumatic hiss.

The vents dumped the room with a purple, sparkling powder.

Ninten, already pre-warned about the upcoming danger, had barely managed to avoid breathing in the deadly puff of spores. Behind him, Lucas had not been so lucky; he had inhaled an entire cloud of toxic fumes. Lucas doubled over, sneezing uncontrollably, and Ninten darted in to drag him out before slamming the locked door shut.

"Oh geez! Are you all right?" Ninten asked, alarmed, as he pulled Lucas upright.

Lucas nodded, blinking the powder from his eyes. He sneezed again. "My dose tiggles," he said in a muffled voice. "Bud I beel bine."

A series of metallic thuds.

Two Starmen had turned the corner with tell-tale blazing red eyes. From what he could sense, neither of their enemies had PSI, but Ninten didn't give them the benefit of doubt and instantly buffed up their stats.

"Offense Up! Defense up!" he muttered under his breath, and the ground beneath their feet briefly flashed twice to indicate his success.

"PK LOVE!"

"Defense up!" Ninten shouted again, boosting up their durability. Lucas gave him a quick grin of gratitude before blasting down the Starmen Juniors.

The Starmen stood no chance against them. Ninten felt his spirits soar. Whatever booby trap Giygas had set on them had failed. The two of them could easily handle trashing the metal bots without a problem.

As the second Starman clattered to the ground in a sizzling heap, Ninten threw his partner a cocky smirk. "We make a pretty good team!"

Lucas nodded vaguely. "Yeah..." His pupils were strangely dilated. Lanky arms trembled, jerking in irregular spasms like a marionette on a string.

Ninten frowned, but before he could ask, another onslaught of Starmen lunged for them. Ninten didn't have another chance to check on Lucas as more Starmen savagely attacked, convincing the the former to divert his attention and crush Starman circuits with his frying pan.

Machine parts scattered, oil spurted, hexagons flew. Left, right, dodge, swing. In mere moments, Ninten was caught in the fray of battle heat, clobbering metal this way and that.

But Ninten's worry increased tenfold. Sometimes, Lucas launched his PSI completely off-course, forcing Ninten to strike out at the Starmen before they could take advantage of the opening. Other times, Lucas seemed to have a problem controlling his rebelliously-twitching limbs. Between the two of them, they could barely fend off their assailants.

Finally, Ninten smacked at what seemed like his thousandth Starman with his frying pan, and the weakened robot collapsed with a sizzle.

"Is it over?" Ninten gasped, wielding his metal pan among the smoldering wreckage. "Who's next?"

Broken electric wires sizzled and snapped weakly in response. Lowering his shoulders in relief, Ninten roughly wiped off the oily grease smeared on his face with an arm. "C'mon, Lucas. Let's get out of here."

No response.

"Lucas?" he asked slowly, turning around in high apprehension.

The said teen was kneeling over by the destroyed wreckage, an unsettling look of pure fear etched on his features. The blond muttered random phrases under his breath that made absolutely no sense to anyone but himself, then without warning, doubled over onto the floor, puking.

...What had Giygas said right before the alarm sounded?

_I hope you enjoy TaneTane mushrooms._

_Tanetane mushrooms._

_**Shrooms**._

"Shit," Ninten swore. Fear bubbled inside him, but he managed to stumble over and grasp Lucas's arm. "PK Healing!"

"Claus?" Lucas whispered, turning to him eagerly. His blue eyes were swamped by an excited madness. A wide, insane smile stretched across Lucas's face. "I can feel your heartbeat."

Had it been any other time, Ninten might have found this situation funny, albeit incredibly disturbing: the Lucas he knew would probably be appalled at the words spewing out of his own mouth.

But Ninten's heart sank like a stone. His PSI had had no effect.

"Lucas? I know you're in there." Ninten frantically shook his arm. "Fight it, Lucas! Don't give in!"

Lucas gave no sign that he had heard him, and continued to sit there smiling stupidly.

Ninten started to panic.

"Lucas! Please!" Ninten pleaded, pulling at his limp elbow. Reinforcements were bound to come, and he couldn't fend them _all_ off with a good smack of a frying pan. "We need to go!"

Uncertain blue eyes flickered with confusion. "Ness?"

That was when everything went horribly wrong. A deadly burst of exhaust from a nearby machine part hit Ninten right in the face. He blindly stumbled back with a wild cough. Even worse, however, was the tickling sensation in the back of his mouth as his throat closed up at an alarming rate. Ninten had enough experience to recognize what these ominous symptoms entailed.

_No! Not now! _he begged as he fumbled for his inhaler, but of all times, it slipped from his fingers onto the ground, the ground, the _ground...!_

His chest tightened as if someone was brutally squeezing the life out of him. Ninten dropped to the ground in a pitiful attempt to search for his inhaler with frantic fingers, but his head felt so heavy and he felt so _tired_-

His vision faded into a fuzzy haze of gray. Desperate hands scrabbled at the tiles, each attempt weaker than the last.

"L-Lucas," he managed to gasp out before his throat closed off entirely. "H-Help..."

And as the suffocating cloud of darkness stifled his senses, Ninten couldn't help but curse his luck.

_Damn you, asthma._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

His limbs trembled erratically, and Lucas gritted his teeth, trying to focus on the Starmen. But whenever he tried to hit one, there were _three, _and Lucas wondered how his PSI seemed to pass through them harmlessly. Either these Starmen were ghosts, or his eyes were deceiving him.

Lucas blinked.

Thick, cracked paint slowly melted off the walls in grotesque, gaping tongues of pink. Blood burst from the distorted cracks in the tiled floor, washing over his shoes in a pungent river of crimson. The wavy ceiling curved in nauseatingly, flashing in bright, sickening colors before twisting into weird, distorted shapes. Up was down, left was right, and the room was spinning, spinning, spinning...

Lucas blinked again, and then the world righted itself.

Behind him, Ninten was furiously muttering spell after spell under his breath as he slammed another robot aside with a resounding _clang. _Sensing something heavy charging towards him, Lucas ducked, narrowly avoiding a Starman's crushing momentum. He easily picked it off with another PK Love, and blue hexagons shredded it into a steaming, smoky mess.

Lucas braced himself as another Starman raced towards him in hot pursuit, arms prepared to strike-

But then, it wasn't a Starman, but Flint.

Sad Flint. Drunk Flint.

Flint the farmer. Flint, his father.

"Dad?" he whispered.

Lowering his bottle of wine, his father studied him with deliberate slowness. Harrowing, haunting shadows lurked within his tortured brown eyes, and then the man suddenly spoke. "I'm gonna beat you. Daddy's gonna to beat you, boy."

Lucas took a shaky step back. "N-No. Dad, please-"

Cold emptiness welled in his eyes, expanding over the man's dark pupils, and Flint smiled humorlessly. "Lucas is a coward. Lucas is a nasty child. Nasty children ought to be punished." He raised his weather-beaten fist. "Take it like a man," he ordered. "It won't hurt. It won't hurt at all..."

Horrified, Lucas pedaled backwards, screwing his eyes shut. When he reopened them, his father was gone. Taking a shaky breath, Lucas nearly screamed out loud when Claus materialized behind him without warning.

"Lucas!" Claus cackled, dancing around in a wild, savage glee. His head was oddly lopsided and bloody; his chest, marred with a humongous, gaping stab wound. "Lucas! It's me! Claus! It's me, it's me, it's me..."

Lucas shuddered as Claus's eerie grin widened, and his next PK Love flinched horribly off-course. Awful, sticky blood poured out of Claus's stab wound, and the dark liquid trickled down his brother's legs and pooled at his feet in a puddle of vibrant red. Clumps of rotting flesh hung loose from white, bony ribs like horrifying curtains of dead skin, and Lucas resisted the urge to gag on the putrid, suffocating smell.

"You liar," Claus whispered viciously. His chest wound pulsed and bulged grotesquely. White, dripping innards festered like rotting noodles. "I died. You knew I was going to die, but you never bothered to tell me, did you?"

"I-I didn't mean to," Lucas stammered, taking a step back. "I thought it was just a dream!"

Claus laughed. "Is this a dream too, Lucas?" He plunged his hand into his gaping chest with a sickening squelch, and then to Lucas's horror, yanked out his heart. It dangled limply in front of his face, and the bulging organ continued to spurt crimson fluid through torn arteries. Blood spattered his brother's ghostly-pale cheeks and trickled down his chin. "Is _this_ just a dream to you?"

"I'm sorry," Lucas said quietly. His eyes burned with tears. Claus only stared back at him in pity.

"Look at yourself, Lucas," Claus said in mock-sympathy. "You used to kneel in front of mom's gravestone and do nothing but cry. You really are a useless crybaby, aren't you?" His venomous voice dripped with pure disgust. "Pathetic. Now you know why I left you in the first place."

"Please, don't go!" Lucas begged. Guilt ached through his chest, painfully constricting his lungs. "It's all my fault, I'm sorry!"

His brother laughed. "Oh, silly Lucas. Silly, silly, Lucas! I'm dead. I'm alive." Claus seized Lucas's trembling palm and curled his fingers around his gruesome present. "Lucas! Touch my heart. See how it beats in and out?"

The wet organ squelched in his grasp. He should've been disgusted, but all Lucas felt was relief. The heart thumped irregularly against his palm. Loud and steady.

Claus was here. Claus was safe. That was all that mattered.

"Claus," Lucas breathed. He choked, and his moist eyes swam with relief. "I can feel your heartbeat."

Claus's form flickered in front of him before twisting and reappearing at his shoulder. Claus clapped a heavy hand on his startled head and wrenched it back. Lucas could feel the freezing, bony fingers tickle the nape of his neck. "I'm braver than you. Stronger even. I'm the useful twin, and without me, you're _nothing_, Lucas." Claus's hot breath hissed tantalizing truths into his ear. "Let's switch places. Let's switch places, Lucas."

A small, yet strangely familiar voice nagged at his mind. _"Fight it, Lucas! Don't give in!"_

Fight? Fight against what? Claus? Claus was harmless. Yes, Claus was harmless. Lucas didn't want to fight him.

"Shhh..." Claus whispered. Grabbing him by the elbow, Claus forced him into an uncomfortably tight embrace. Cold blood seeped through the front of his shirt. Lucas shivered as Claus rigidly raked his frozen, blood-crusted fingernails through his hair, causing goosebumps to erupt on bare, exposed skin. "Don't worry, Lucas. I'm right here." Claus's voice distorted into an awful groan. "And I'm not leaving anytime _sooOOoOoooon_."

_"Lucas! Please! We need to go!"_

...That voice sounded awfully scared...

A fuzzy outline of a person blurred into light. Black hair. Red bandanna. Striped shirt.

Lucas blinked. "Ness?"

"L-Lucas...H-Help..."

Lucas knew this person. He jolted to his feet, pushing his brother off. "Ninten!"

The floor jerked from underneath him, and Lucas fell. He was falling, falling deep down this endless pit of misery and screams and crying...

His eyes snapped open. Cold, hard tiles met his vision, and he sat up in alarm. Ninten was hunched over on all fours, fingers feebly twitching around for his inhaler that was knocked right out of reach. Shaking off his daze, Lucas seized it and stuffed it into his friend's mouth, praying that he had not been too late.

"Come on, Ninten! Breathe!" Lucas gasped. "PK Healing!"

_Liar._

_Coward._

_What a nasty little boy you are, Lucas._

For several agonizing seconds, there was no response. Then Ninten coughed and sputtered like a run-down engine. His chest began to rise and fall.

**Ba-dump. ****Ba-dump. ****Ba-dump.**

A steady heartbeat.

Lucas sighed shakily and sank into the floor in relief.

With Ninten clocked out, their odds were against them. Already, pink was starting to distort his mind, and Lucas doubted he'd be lucky enough to break free from his hallucinations again. Cold fear started to creep in from his toes, and he choked on growing hysteria-

_The boy named Lucas is bullying animals._

_The boy named Lucas learned some bad magic._

_The boy named Lucas is crying at a grave._

His insecurities bubbled and frothed like an excited brew of madness, and Lucas squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't break down now, not when Ninten was relying on him, not when Ness and Claus might possibly be in danger. Without pause, he awkwardly slung his unconscious friend over his shoulder.

_I can't give up. I won't give up._

**Ba-dump. Ba-dump.**

Weird colors were already starting to claw themselves into his vision, and in the corner of his eye, he spotted Claus lurking hungrily in the shadows, regarding his every move with an unnerving, predatory gaze.

Waiting. Watching. Whispering.

**Ba-dump. **

"Everyone's waiting for you," Claus chimed cheerfully. "Everyone's waiting to throw rocks at you, spit in your eyes, and make your life hell. Who's everyone?"

Lucas slowly met his eye, and Claus's grin widened.

"Everyone you love."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

To their growing dismay, the hallway in front of Giygas's study was completely devoid of any life.

"Dammit! Where are they?" a bare-footed Ness shouted, frantically scanning the burning wreckage of Starmen. "They must have been here a second ago!"

Claus desperately dug through the pile of rubble. "Lucas? Ninten?" A strange formation of machine oil caught his eye, and Claus nearly tripped over the machine parts in his haste.

A greasy shoeprint.

Several, to be more precise.

Claus's blood ran cold.

"This way!" Claus shouted, and the two of them followed the trail of oil-clad shoeprints. Their wet feet slapped loudly against the hard, cold tiles, echoing noisily down the corridor. _Squelch. Squish. Squelch._

However, the trail of teen-sized shoeprints was far from reassuring; it was clearly an ominous work of insanity. Uncertain feet had sometimes shuffled forward a few steps before colliding straight into a door or wall. In other cases, the confused feet walked around in endless circles before managing to revert back to its original course. The imprints were also heavily bolded, which indicated that their owner was most likely carrying something...or someone.

Ness didn't like the sound of that idea. All of these shoeprints belonged to the same person. Either Lucas or Ninten had been knocked out or gravely injured, leaving the other to fend alone for themselves. And if the odd pattern of footprints was anything to judge by, whoever was conscious was probably not in his right state of mind either.

As the shrill alarm continued to wail, Starmen after Starmen began to flood the corridors, smudging up the footprints. Claus screamed in frustration.

"PK Thunder!"

A bolt of jagged lightning ripped through the air, and his unlucky opponents contorted in a jittery dance of electricity before being zapped to crisp. Claus wasn't sure if any of the Starmen could use PSI, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give them the benefit of doubt.

Not after what had happened last time.

Baring his teeth, Claus blasted Starman after Starman out of the way. It was a mighty sight to behold; the elder twin looked absolutely furious beyond his wits, viciously exploding every unfortunate hunk of metal that dared to stop him in his quest to search for his brother.

Another Starman had the gall to step in his path, and Claus slashed his sparking arm down to cast a spell-

But Ness had already clobbered it aside with his bat.

"That was _my _opponent!"

Hoisting the baseball bat over his shoulder, Ness rolled his eyes. "Can't I repay the favor?"

"No."

"You needed help-"

"I didn't _ask _for your help."

Ness threw his hands into the air. "Why can't you admit that you needed help?!"

Claus ignored him and rigidly blasted another Starman to bits.

_"Claus!"_

"Stop telling me what to do!"

"Listen to me, you stubborn idiot!" Ness broke out angrily. "_Save your PSI!_"

"Idiot? Who are you calling an idiot?!" Claus snarled, baring his teeth. "Have you _lost_ it?! This is the quickest way we can find them, jackass!"

"Can you quit being such an asshole and listen to me for once?!" Ness screamed, and Claus froze. The baseball captain clenched his fists tightly. "What if they need our help? What if Lucas is injured? How are you gonna fucking heal your brother if you run out of fucking PSI, goddamnit?!"

Claus stiffened.

Ness was right.

...But that didn't mean he had to like it.

The elder twin narrowed his icy blue eyes. Claus was loathe to admit that he had been wrong to _Ness_ of all people, especially since the topic of their debate was over Lucas's welfare. It was already a touchy subject between them to begin with, but now, the frightening mix of frustration, despair, and helplessness ultimately toppled Claus over the edge.

Claus snapped. The grudge he had been simmering against Ness for the past three years had finally boiled over the pot.

"Of course, _you'd_ know what's best for Lucas," Claus said bitterly. "You've been best friends with him since sixth grade, and I'm just, what, his twin brother?"

"Look, I'm only trying to save everyone from this goddamn facility," Ness snapped. "What's your problem?"

"My problem?" Claus laughed mockingly. "Oh, I don't have a problem at all, Ness. Keep lecturing me on how I should treat my younger brother, because _you_ obviously know him better than I do."

"I never said that!" Ness exploded in frustration, batting aside another Starman. They ducked into the control room, taking brief refuge from the fight. "I care about him _because he's my_ _friend_!"

"Do you, Ness?" Claus sneered viciously. He could almost hear Lucas pleading for him to stop in the corner of his mind, but Claus was far too gone. The momentum of his speech propelled him forward, and Claus couldn't stop the despicable, poisonous words that hissed between his teeth. "Answer me, then! If you care about Lucas so much because he's your _friend_, then whose fucking fault is it that he's stuck out here in the first place?"

"Look, I didn't know that _this_ was going to happen! I would've said something if I had!"

"Then you shouldn't have agreed in the first place!" Claus bellowed, swiping a hand through the air. "If you'd sided with me, then none of this would've ever happened!"

"You can't know for sure! We don't even know if they're-"

"Shut the hell up, Ness!" Claus screamed hoarsely. "Admit it! All you and your crazy plans have ever done is get everyone hurt!" Claus's voice sounded shaky. A lump of emotion lodged in his throat. "After my mom died, I promised, Ness. I swore to myself that I'd never let Lucas get hurt again, and now, because of you, my brother could be _bleeding_ to death in some _stupid_ hellhole while we're stuck out here like _sitting ducks_! So stop saying that everything's going to be okay, because it's NOT okay! Nothing's okay right now, OKAY?! Is that fucking _OKAY_ with you, Ness?!"

Claus's words seemed to have hit a major nerve.

Ness froze. All the color rapidly fled from his ashen face.

Glaring, Claus heaved violently from the sudden outburst of emotion. He waited for Ness to respond, to yell, to shout back, to do _something _other than just stand there goddamnit-

But Ness didn't argue back.

All the fight seemed to drain out of him, and Ness's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Fine," he said so quietly in a voice that was barely even audible. His dead, empty eyes looked horribly hollow. "Everything's _not _okay. Are you happy now, Claus? Does that make you feel better?"

His taciturn response stunned Claus. He had been expecting Ness to explode back, and now that Ness wasn't giving him a fight, Claus's conscience had finally caught up to him.

Claus had gone one step too far.

Claus swallowed hard. What was he supposed to say now? That he was sorry for being a dick? That he didn't mean to curse him out two seconds ago?

"Look, Ness, I...I-"

All speech had suddenly died from Claus's throat, leaving only stunned silence in its wake. Claus had no idea what he had been about to say, and Ness would never find out.

Because a wide-eyed Lucas had chosen that golden opportunity to stumble in with an unconscious Ninten on his back, sprint past the surprised duo, and smack himself face-first against the wall.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Heya guys! **

**Ugh I've never written horror before. If anything sounds stupid, I'm sorry. Just know that I tried. *Bangs head against desk* ****I didn't realize how dark this chapter was until I finished writing it. Seriously, this literally outlines my entire internal debate last Sunday evening:**

**"Maybe I should cut this out..."**

**"But _ANGST_."**

**"This description is too graphic..."**

**"But _ANGST_."**

**"This character sounds too...angsty."**

**"But _ANGST_."**

**I ended up cutting nothing out. My reason: writing is an expression of art. If it's gross, it's gross. If it's supposed to be sad, well gosh darn it, I sure hope it doesn't sound as happy as heck! As long as the characters aren't OoC and the scenes aren't pointless blather, I'm somewhat satisfied.**

**ALL ABOARD THE LUCAS DLC HYPE TRAIN (again)!**

**And to answer your reviews!**

**Angel-woof: Thanks for the compliment. :) As for my Harry Potter crossover...erm...oops. :x I was an idiot and wrote the fic before I realized how much time this story was going to take. This story is actually behind by a few chapters, and I'm getting worried that my plot's slowing down. It should hopefully catch up in time, but I do have an annoying tendency to milk out feelings and emotions. Darn my writing style. ****And hooray for no table-flipping or wall-punching! xD And that makes two of us; I love Kumatora too ;) As for your hunch on what happened to Ninten and Lucas...we'll see if you're right. :)**

**Guest: YES! There was a LoZ reference! Earlier that day, I was (for whatever godforsaken reason) watching the "Excuse me, Princess" LoZ video on Youtube. My subconscious must have snuck the quote in...even though Kumatora's technically the princess, not Paula. :x Oh well. And this was the first time I wrote a flash forward (I prefer flashbacks), but hooray for predicting the future! Now if only I could predict _my_ future...**

**ConnorTheSpelingPro: Thanks. :) And gosh darn it, STOP PREDICTING THE NEXT CHAPTER, CONNOR! XD Just kidding, but yes, I did write a Ninten/Lucas POV for Chapter 15. Due to length, however, it got shifted to _this_ chapter. Claus's behavior might sound slightly extreme, but we will delve into the story behind his over-protectiveness in chapter 17. :) And it's okay; I love characterization over plot too. xD**

**PizzaPower: I know what you mean. Poor Lucas. ;_; As for who broke his arm, it was Pokey (lol it's like in one sentence in Chapter 12, so I'd be surprised if anyone caught it), but we'll be getting into the details of Lucas being bullied in a later chapter. And as for how Picky got kidnapped...I guess it can't hurt to say that he was jumped on his way home from school. And thanks. :) But I'm actually afraid that my plot's slowing down so much haha**

**OXYD: Oooh...a traitor? ;D _Interesting_...Well, we'll find out who triggered the alarm.**

**Readergirl27: Thank you~ I love Kumatora too! :D You play the cornet? ...I wish I could play brass instruments *Sulks* The only instruments I can play are the viola, the violin, and piano. I self-taught myself ocarina *high-fives Ninten*, but I'm still a noob. xD **

**Silvereyer: I'm sorry; I can't save you, because I like Lucas/Claus brotherly fluff too DX Ahhh! And thanks. :) If Claus had been the main protagonist for Mother 3, I'm sure Duster would've run away crying because he would've argued with Kumatora so much. xD And about that tiny NessXPaula moment...Shhhhhh. You saw nothing. And holy crap, I never realized how much Paula resembled Peach; they even wield frying pans too. O_O **

**Dude, you raise a VERY good point, which I wondered if anyone else noticed. I have already written a future chapter explaining why Giygas had wanted Pokey to work for him. Nice catch! 500 cool points to you! B)**

**DarkFoxKit: I agree. Claus would probably go all "mama-bear" on anyone who hurts Lucas. xD There is a reason behind his over-protectiveness, and we'll find out next chapter. And, I totally agree with your point: Claus and Ninten might bicker a lot, but I imagine their friendship to be much closer than that between Claus and Ness. As for whether Ness and Claus can get over their past grudge...we'll see. :) **

**CrankySky: Yup. Ninten and Lucas are in _big_ trouble...Possibly. Who knows? And I do wonder how Ness and Claus would react...we'll see ;D I like writing about Claus and Kumatora bickering with each other. It's fun and strangely stress-relieving.**

**Guest: ...Er...you got me. So originally, I pronounced Claus as "Santa Claus," but then I found out about the alternate "House Claus" pronunciation. Now, I prefer the "House Claus." Oops. :x When I write, I sometimes forget to take pronunciation into account, but I don't mind how you say Claus's name. Whatever makes you happy makes me happy. B) **

**Guest:**** Okay. *Decides not to upload anything for the next two months* Mwahaha maybe I'm serious, maybe I'm not? Who knows? We'll see. B)**

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	17. Close Your Eyes, Sugar

_**Beep...Beep...Beep...**_

"Code blue, I repeat, code blue-"

"Patient is suffering from severe head trauma and cardiopulmonary arrest-"

"Charge up the defibrillator!"

_**Beep...Beep...**_

"The patient isn't responding!"

"Resume CPR!"

_**B**_

_**e**_

_**e**_

_**p**_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

...She's gone.

.

.

.

.

.

I'm sorry for your loss.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The funeral was a simple, quiet affair. A handful of mourners stopped by, flooding the grave with flowers and pity. There was much regret and sorrow for the woman who would be sorely missed.

Pain of loss drove Claus into bitter grief. Everywhere around him, well-wishers murmured their condolences.

"She was such a wonderful, sweet person..."

"You poor, poor children..."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

**I'm sorry.**

Claus hated that word. It rang too uncomfortably in his ears. It was too flippant, too shallow, too empty. _I'm sorry_ did scarce to express the unimaginable expanse of agony ripping his heart to shreds. _I'm sorry _wasn't going to bring his mother back.

**I'm sorry for your loss.**

_No, you're not! _Claus wanted to scream. _You didn't know her! You didn't see her get run over in front of your eyes! You're not sorry at all!_

Claus stood shakily on weak knees, stubbornly in denial. Mom wasn't dead. These people were stupid. They didn't know what they were talking about. Any second now, Hinawa was going to pop up, laughing that she had accidentally lost track of time in the sunflower field and had forgotten to head home.

...Right?

But heavy realization sunk in as Claus slowly watched his younger brother shakily extend his fingers. Emitting a sudden wail of distress, Lucas desperately hurled himself onto the gravestone. Tiny fingers clawed deep patterns into the dirt as if they could touch his dead mother through the deep, unforgiving layers of soil.

A high-pitched keening of pure anguish ripped out their hearts.

Lucas had started to cry.

"Mom..._mom_..."

The troubled mourners converged uneasily around his brother, muttering and whispering soothing, worthless condolences.

**I'm sorry for your loss.**

Claus couldn't stand it any longer. He bolted home, leaving his brother to mourn alone.

Days passed. Things changed, but everything stayed the same. His father drank. Lucas cried. His father drank more. Lucas cried more. It was a bizarre, almost-sacred ritual that went unbroken. On and on, it continued. Now Flint was a cold and distant stranger. Lucas had all but dissolved into an inconsolable mess.

Claus didn't understand. Lucas was wrong. Mom wasn't dead. Lucas was a liar.

One month. That was how long Claus lasted before he caved into his frustrated helplessness. Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore. Claus couldn't _sit here_ doing nothing but watch his family crumble into ruins. Furious grief boiled and bubbled in his hot heart.

That drunk driver had caused this. Claus wanted to find that drunk driver. He wanted to make him pay for all the pain and suffering he had caused.

Claus's breath hitched in his throat. A sudden stroke of daring inspiration had struck him, and a plot of terrible proportions began to brew in his young, third-grade mind. Soon, blinding desperation consumed all reason.

Maybe...if he did this _just_ _right_...everything might turn back to normal. Dad would stop drinking, and Lucas would be happy again. Icy blue eyes hardened, and Claus held back his own tears. Grim determination fueled his final resolution.

He wasn't going to cry. Not yet.

No crying until the end.

* * *

**Setting: Present**

Ness and Claus jumped back in shock. Immediately, all anger vanished, only to be replaced with panic at the sprawled pair of figures on the ground.

"Lucas?" Claus exhaled in relief, sprinting over to help his brother up. "Thank gods, you're alrig-"

A harsh crackle.

There was stunned silence. Lucas had brandished a sparking finger directly at them.

"Lucas, what are you doing?" Ness asked in bewilderment, eyeing the finger warily.

Said blond shrank back at his voice. "S-Stay back," Lucas breathed shakily. His dilated pupils were clouded in wild, disheveled fear. "I'm warning you. I-I...I won't hesitate to attack!"

Claus rolled his eyes and stepped forward. "Lucas, it's only us-"

"PK FREEZE!"

Claus flinched and ducked. The distorted, erratically-pulsing snowflake sailed over his head and smashed against the metal wall with an ear-shattering explosion of ice.

"What's gotten into you, Lucas?!" Claus demanded in growing fear. "This isn't funny!"

He prodded his brother's mind, but almost immediately retracted his tendril of thought. Psychedelic colors scalded his mental probe, and distorted, nightmarish illusions flooded his senses in that brief moment of contact. Claus couldn't find his brother in the sea of agony and confusion.

Lucas flinched, shielding his mind. Behind him, Ninten still stayed slumped on the floor, unmoving. Ness was getting worried; for all they knew, Ninten could be also in critical condition, and while they had knocked out many Starmen, more troops were bound to charge into the room at any second.

"Lucas...," Ness trailed off worriedly. "What happened to you?"

Lucas didn't appear to have heard him, and instead, turned to address the wall. "Claus?" he whispered in a small, cracked voice. "...Where are you going?"

Claus's heart stopped. He knew those words.

_Claus, where are you going?_

_No! Stay! I-I promise I won't cry again!_

_Please, Claus, don't leave, I'll...I'll do anything, please please please don't go I'm begging you__-_

Choking, Lucas clutched his head. "No..." Scrunching his eyes shut, the blond clapped his hands over his ears and shuddering violently, sank into the floor. "No. No more!" Lucas yelled loudly, making both boys flinch. His blue eyes flashed open, glazed with hurt and hopelessness. "Stop! Make the voices s-s-stop..."

Claus swallowed hard. He wasn't very good at handling emotions, and whenever something "touchy-feely" came up, Lucas tended to sort it out on his own. But now, he had no choice; his younger brother needed him. Claus couldn't run away from his feelings this time.

"Lucas...calm down," he coaxed, using a different approach. Lucas froze, tensing to bolt at the slightest sign of danger, and Claus lowered his voice. "Easy now..."

Recognition sparked in Lucas's dull eyes. "...Claus?" he called out timidly like a frightened child.

"That's right," Claus said encouragingly, careful eyes never leaving his brother's tense, quivering form. "Keep it up, you're doing a good job..."

"I can't...I can't see you..."

Claus's hands were shaking madly, but he managed to repress the tremor in his throat. "I promise I'm right here, and I'm not leaving anytime soon..."

Realization slowly dawned in those blue eyes, and Lucas hesitated. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Claus relaxed...

Without warning, Claus found himself gasping for breath as he was flattened against the floor, hit square in the chest by a PK Freeze. "Lucas," he wheezed. "What-"

"Y-You're not Claus," Lucas whispered shakily from above him. A combination of sharp keening, harsh sob-like laughs, and frantic jumble of consonants spewed out of his mouth, rendering the once-reasonable boy's speech into an incomprehensible, gurgling mess of distorted words. Agitated PSI sparked around his hands. "You're not Claus!"

"Lucas! Snap out of it!" Claus yelled, struggling to extricate himself from the ice.

Lucas shuddered once, but didn't lower his hands. "You're not my brother...You're not real...n-not real," he choked, tears dripping from his eyes. Cold energy coated his fingers, freezing crystals of moisture from the air. "PK-"

"PK Hypnosis," Ness cut in, glowing violet irises roiling with power. Lucas stared at him dumbly, entranced by his eyes before his mind was forcefully shut down. Unconscious, Lucas collapsed, keeling over onto the ground in an ungraceful _thump_.

Immediately, Ness was dragged face-to-face with a snarling ginger.

"What the hell was that for?!" Claus spat, yanking Ness up by the shirt. Sparkling shards of ice still decorated Claus's fiery hair, and his wide blue irises blazed in pained desperation.

"Let go, Claus," Ness's eyes flashed dangerously. "I only put him to sleep. Just because you're a heartless jerk doesn't mean that I am."

That comment stung.

Reluctantly, Claus let go, and Ness roughly pried himself out of his grip.

Their eyes flew over to a certain teen who had yet to respond. Ninten's continued disquiet was unnerving. Dragging the limp body over, Ness did a quick mental scan for injuries.

Tense silence.

Then Ness exhaled a shaky sigh of relief. "...He's okay. Just unconscious."

Claus relaxed slightly at the verdict. He hoisted his brother's limp form onto his back. Lucas's soft body pressed against his, and Claus could feel his ragged breath tickle his ears with hot air. Some stray tears found their way onto the back of Claus's shirt. Claus felt the warm, wet dots through the cloth.

"Claus..." Lucas mumbled uneasily in his sleep.

Ness couldn't help but throw another look of worry in their direction, but it only served to irritate Claus even further.

"Can you stop doing that?" Claus snapped halfheartedly, trying to cover up his moment of weakness, and then the bad feelings were back, the terrible memories flooding in, the hurt, the pain, _the awful guilt__-_

Ness narrowed his eyes, trying to resist the tempting urge to sock the ginger in the face with his aching knuckles. But as he adjusted his hold on Ninten, his mind seemed a million miles away.

"Hold onto my arm," Ness muttered, even though the expression of extreme loathing on his face clearly stated that Claus's touch was the last thing he wanted right now.

Claus hesitated. With almost equal reluctance, he reached out with a free hand and grasped Ness's tense arm.

Responsibility weighed heavily on Ness's shoulders - their escape depended on him now. Ness could sense his last strains of PSI flicker weakly in his mind. He had to use up his energy wisely, otherwise, they were all majorly screwed. His entire body bursting into sparks, Ness sprinted out into the long, flat hallway, hoping that he could evade the Starmen's attacks with his speed.

"PK Tele-uungh!"

Ness stumbled, but before Claus could understand what had happened, they were instantly consumed by a flash of white.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Another flash of light, then a yelp as Claus felt his body fly forward and plow into the dirt from momentum. Spitting out grass, he bolted upright. To his relief, Ninten was lying face-down on the hill next to him, and Lucas was not much farther away.

"Ngghhh..."

Claus faced a pasty-faced Ness with a raised eyebrow. "What's the matter with you?"

Ness managed to sit upright, then bit back a hiss of pain. He swung his shaky, left leg in front of him. A glaring burn painfully stretched down his calves, and Ness cursed. "Fuck."

"What happened?"

"A Starman must have managed to intercept me," Ness muttered darkly, hobbling to his feet.

Claus swore, then looked down the mountain range. To his horror, he could not only spot the smoking research facility, but he also caught sight of the silver swarm of Starmen spewing out like agitated bees. "Holy shi-"

Adrenaline coursed through his veins, and Ness bolted with Ninten on his back. "RUN!"

The surrounding foliage scratched at their faces and arms, clawing and tearing at their clothes. Leaves poked at their eyes painfully, blinding them effectively from the scenery in front of them. Claus could barely see anything a meter ahead, much less ten centimeters away from his face.

"Where are we going?" Claus yelled.

"I don't know! Anywhere! Somewhere as far as possible from here!" Ness bellowed back in desperation. Another clearing loomed ahead, and Ness suddenly charged forward, making a split-second decision. "This way!"

Wrong choice.

"CLIFF!"

They screeched to a sudden halt, and Claus stumbled over a few steps. Their disturbance had caused several branches to tumble down the deep gorge. There was no way they could run in this terrain.

They were trapped.

_No! It can't end like this! _Ness thought frantically, racking his brains for any idea, any way out of this situation. The gaping chasm only glared back at him in response.

Vaguely, he registered Lucas stirring, but Claus must not have had much luck getting through to him. He stole a glance back.

Claus looked disheveled. Despair was sinking in his eyes, and when Ness threw him a questioning look, Claus shook his head.

"He's not answering me," Claus said hoarsely in response, jerking his head to his mentally-incapacitated brother.

Lucas spoke for himself. "I'm a chicken!"

_Yep. Lucas was definitely out of commission._

"I'm out of PSI," Ness said helplessly. "And I used the the last of Ninten's PSI to get us here."

Claus shifted uneasily. "I still have some left, but my tank's pretty low."

_Shit. _Ness stared at the gorge, then back at Claus. _There had to be a way out of this..._

"Your PK Teleport," Claus said suddenly. "You said that you can only teleport in a straight line, right?"

"Yeah," Ness said in frustration, closing his eyes. "I need to break at least 80 miles per hour before my PSI can kick in and do the rest." He laughed darkly, pointing at his limp. "But there's no way I can run with _this, _and we have nowhere else to go."

"Take it."

Ness looked confused. "Huh?"

Claus looked at him seriously with icy eyes. "Take the rest of my PSI."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Ness said, sounding annoyed. "We don't have anywhere else to go!"

"We can jump off the cliff."

Ness's eyes widened, and he actually took a step back. "Heck, no!"

"Freefall physics." Claus studied the lush gorge beneath them, and mentally calculated the distance. "80 miles per hour is roughly around 35 meters per second. Gravity will pull us down at 9.8 meters per second squared. If I'm right, we should at least break 50 meters per second before we splatter on impact. Theoretically speaking."

"I make crazy ideas," Ness said weakly. "But this is plain suicidal!"

Claus slowly met his eyes. "_You _make the crazy ideas," he drawled, dripping with irritation. "But I actually know what I'm doing. This height is definitely sufficient enough to reach that velocity. Now the question is, are _you_ up for it?" He stared into the gorge. "It's your choice."

Ness hesitated. Then again, to be fair, Claus had just suggested that jumping off a godforsaken cliff was a practically reasonable idea.

_Since when had cliff-diving ever been reasonable to begin with?! _

Ness sighed in frustration, then pinched the bridge of his nose. Difficult as it is, he only had two simple choices: probable capture, or possible suicide.

Ness chose the obvious option.

"Let's do it," Ness said in determination. His lips suddenly felt rather dry.

Claus nodded curtly, and Ness closed his eyes to concentrate.

Everyone's mental landscape was unique to that particular person. It was built on memories, yet was never permanent, preferring to grow and shift with changing flaws and developing personalities.

When Ness opened his eyes, he was immediately struck by how _cold _Claus's mind felt. The entire mental landscape was swathed in gray and black. Secrets rattled behind every nook and cranny, desperate to be unlocked, and Ness could feel unseen eyes everywhere, watching his every move with a brooding suspicion. The landscape itself didn't seem to appreciate his presence, almost seeming to repel his feet from the ground.

The air felt highly electrified. Ness knew that if he made one false step, Claus wouldn't tolerate it.

Ness shuddered. Feeling a hum of energy, Ness let it direct him to the heart of Claus's PSI.

As he did so, something caught Ness's attention. In contrast to the bitter darkness around, one house in the distance was lit aglow. As he passed by, Ness could hear happy laughter ring across the closed curtains. Curiosity peaked his interest, but he knew better than to investigate.

Ness halted in front of the humming energy core. For someone so cold, Claus's PSI felt unexpectedly warm. Ness placed a hand on it, willing the energy to flow into his mind, and closed his eyes...

Violet eyes snapped open.

Claus was still regarding him with that same, suspicious stare. "Well?"

Ness flexed his fingers, feeling the warm PSI wash over his heart, and stared down at the crevice. "...On the count of three?"

Claus slowly met his look with an unusual calm. "On the count of three."

_One_.

The swarm of Starmen angrily whirred closer-

_Two._

The buzz was almost deafening-

_Three._

They jumped.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Falling.

They were _falling_.

Fearful faces contrasted against pale sky-

Orange tumbled into black and clashed with yellow-

The wind was screaming into their ears, tearing away their gasping breath, buffeting their faces with its deafening howls-

Beneath them, the dark abyss sleepily opened its yawning mouth, ready to swallow up its next morsels and shroud them in eternal darkness-

Ness closed his eyes.

A flash of light-

Then nothing.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Something cold touched his face.

Claus shivered. Groggily, he cracked open his heavy eyelids.

It was snowing. Tiny snowflakes gently fluttered from the sky like butterfly wings. In an act of childish temptation, Claus stuck out his tongue and felt one melt in his mouth.

A crunch of ice, then an exhausted Ness reappeared in his vision. "We need to create more distance." His knees suddenly buckled from his injury, and Ness toppled over to the ground. "Urgh..."

Claus had already put out a free hand to pull him up, and Ness swatted it aside.

"Don't touch me," Ness snapped, staggering under Ninten's weight. Now that they were out of danger, the heavy tension from their big blow-out was starting to seep back into the air.

Claus rolled his eyes. "That burn's gonna slow you down, and we're out of PSI."

"I don't need your help!" Ness shot back, nursing his tender injury with a sour look.

Claus snorted. "Good luck, then. If you want to suffer for the next few hours of your life, then be my guest."

Ness threw him a particularly venomous glare, then stubbornly limped off.

Watching him, Claus made an exasperated noise like a cow giving birth. "Why do you have to be so difficult?"

"Why do you even care?!" Ness growled, hackles raised. "According to _you_, I'm a selfish jackass who cares for no one. Fuck off."

"Fine!" Claus snarled, clenching his fists. "Be a smartass if you want! Like I give a shit!"

That was the last straw, and Ness finally lost it.

Letting loose an animalistic howl of fury, he lunged forward and dive-tackled Claus into the snow. Ice shards flew into the air like confetti as they furiously brawled it out on the frozen mountainside. Snarling, Claus kicked him viciously in the ribs, making him gasp, then doubled over as Ness punched him square in the jaw. Loudly swearing out violent obscenities at the top of his lungs, Claus twisted around in an attempt to buck him off, but Ness had swept his legs under his feet, and Claus collided into the icy ground painfully on his rear. Gripping his aching jaw, Claus bellowed in savage rage, then charged forward to sock him in the gut, and Ness bared his teeth, ready to intercept him-

"You're hairy, Claus."

Both of them froze in stunned silence. They turned around.

A giggling Lucas was hugging a very confused Ten-Yeti around its waist. The blond inhaled deeply into its soft, downy fur. "Ew. You smell like fish."

As if in sync, Ness and Claus lunged forward and took an arm, dragging Lucas away. The poor Ten-Yeti blinked and scratched its aching head, most likely wondering what the heck had just happened.

When both of them realized what the other had done, their scowls deepened.

"Fuck off, Ness."

"I didn't do it for _you_, you dumbass," Ness snapped, yanking back Lucas's arm like a tug-of-war rope.

Lucas lolled his head around pathetically. "It hurts, Ness," he slurred, then promptly fell face-first into a mound of snow.

Both of them briefly paused their feud, simultaneously shooting Lucas a concerned glance.

"...Are you okay, Lucas?" Ness started hesitantly.

"I can't feel my face," Came the muffled voice.

Claus lumbered over. "That's because your head's buried under a foot of snow, you goof," he sighed, pulling his brother back onto his feet. Ness shouldered Ninten, who thankfully looked like he was still breathing steadily.

With neither Ninten conscious to joke around with them nor Lucas available to dissipate the tension, there was no one to stop Ness and Claus from butting heads. Wishing nothing more than to continue duking it out in the spot, both boys eyed each other with sharp glares of utter, vile loathing. Legs tensed, fists clenched, and feral teeth bared.

But they were cold and drained. Two of their friends were out of commission. They needed shelter.

Reluctantly, they seemed to agree on a silent truce, and fuming, stalked off in bitter silence.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Once Claus had treated Ness to one of his deluxe "You suck and here's why" speeches, things couldn't have possibly gone worse after their savage free-for-all.

But somehow, they did. For the first time in his life, Lucas was managing to make them both feel highly uncomfortable.

"I planted a sunflower once."

"That sounds nice, Lucas," Ness said, trying to sound upbeat.

"It died."

"...Oh."

"Mom died too." Lucas looked sad. "I think she died because of me. I'm sorry, dad."

"Uh, it's okay...son," Ness petered out awkwardly.

Lucas said the most random things, and for over half the time, he apologized or blamed himself for causing these random things. Seriously, listening to the poor boy, anyone would think that he was the world's greatest sinner. It made Claus feel like an awful, lousy person in comparison.

"I can put him under with PK Hypnosis," Ness broke in quietly, eying the babbling blond in concern. "It's harmless. I use it on Tracy all the time when she can't fall asleep from nightmares."

But Claus vehemently refused. He didn't care that his brother was high; he was simply glad that Lucas was alive and talking. Claus usually did most of the talking anyways, so it made sense that he should at least try to listen to whatever his brother had to say.

_Besides_, he reasoned,_ Lucas would probably run out of things to talk about._

Claus was sorely mistaken.

He had clearly underestimated how much Lucas could speak if he tried. As his brother continued to ramble on uselessly, Claus had to wonder if Lucas had ever spoken to anyone about these thoughts before. Quite honestly, it was as if the blond had stored his words up until this very moment, then decided to regurgitate them all out at once.

So now, Claus and Ness were stiffly stuck in the snow listening to a very high Lucas speak random things to random people.

Lucas sang. Once, he warbled a melody that sounded suspiciously like a drinking song. Another time, it was a low keen, a shrill wail that sounded like someone was being horribly tortured.

He also spouted tiny little tid-bits: Harmless pieces of trivia that neither of them had known about the other. Ninten had a soft spot for penguins. Claus despised the taste of pork. Ness was highly addicted to Runway Five.

"But that's okay, Ness! Claus is obsessed with DCMC!" Lucas's eyes lit up brightly. "In fact, every night, Claus wears his pink DCMC _boxers_-"

Instantly, a mortified Claus clapped a hand over his brother's mouth, and Ness snorted.

"Lucas," Claus groaned, staring at his brother, who was still babbling happily in muffled joy. "That's supposed to be a secret."

Ness stifled a smirk. "It's okay, _boxer-boy_."

Claus colored a delicious shade of pink. "Stuff it, you fanatic."

For a second, smiles froze. There was a teetering pause, and everything seemed like it was going to be all right again...then they averted their eyes and moodily festered back into deep, rotting silence.

But along with funny trivia, Lucas had also spouted out many things about touchier subjects.

Insecurities. Inner fears.

"Duster, did Wess cause your limp? Because Wess always calls you an ungrateful child."

"I don't think that asthma makes you weak, Ninten. You're one of the strongest people I know."

"Giygas is bald. He looks funny with a hat on. I'm sorry. That was mean. I'm a mean child. Mean, nasty child." Lucas sang, swinging his legs from his perch on Claus's back, "Nasty, nasty, nasty-"

Most unfortunately, Lucas knew both Ness and Claus inside-out. It came as no surprise to either of them; for good reasons, they were both quite close to the shy, contemplative boy. Every now and then, would find themselves accidentally slipping out a painful secret or two in front of him, and as the considerate soul he was, Lucas would promise not to reveal it to anyone else.

But now, those hidden secrets were spilling out into the open.

"Don't worry, Ness. A lot of people I know have family problems. I don't think it's strange that your dad's a phone-"

Ness almost jumped, but managed to stop himself in time. He looked as though he was going to put Lucas to sleep, but hesitated and thought better of it. The baseball captain slumped over in defeat.

"-because he's divorced. At least he's there for you, right? Sometimes, my dad's in the house, and I can't tell if he's all...there."

"Lucas," Claus said tiredly, even though he knew that his brother couldn't hear him. "Please. Stop talking."

Lucas continued in that same terrible, matter-of-fact voice. "Dad's drunk a lot. Claus argues with him all the time. I hate it when they fight." A pause, and Lucas screwed his eyes shut. "I'm scared, Claus. I'm so scared that he'll snap and hit you one day. Then I'll be all alone..." A sob. "I'm sorry. I'm so selfish. I'm a selfish person..."

But all in all, Lucas's spiel was plain depressing.

Claus almost regretted his choice to let his brother speak, but he didn't have the heart to shut him down. Claus sneaked a side-glimpse; Ness didn't seem to know what to say either. They quickly fell back into uncomfortable silence.

As they trudged through the slurry of ice, the only sound that broke the disquiet was Lucas crying his heart out in the freezing snow.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

After what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence, Ness finally broke the ice.

"We need fire," he said bluntly, lowering Ninten into a sheltered crevice with aching arms. "I'll find wood."

Claus nodded curtly. "I'll keep watch."

With that painfully brief conversation, Ness stalked off. The howling wind quickly covered up his form in snow.

Ninten had not woken up yet. Ness had deduced that he had somehow suffered an asthma attack, and unfortunately, the best they could do now was to wait it out. But as Ninten muttered delirious phrases under his breath, Claus felt slightly worried. Keeping a tight watch on his brother - whom he didn't trust quite yet not to wander off into the snow and hug another yeti - Claus placed a freezing hand on Ninten's forehead. His skin was burning up.

"Crap," Claus muttered. In their haste, they had forgotten to retrieve supplies from the facility.

Darting outside, Claus quickly grabbed a handful of snow. Hurrying back into the small cave, he knelt over and dumped the pile of ice awkwardly onto the other boy's forehead. It seemed crude, but with nothing else they could do, their options were limited. Hopefully, that would bring the fever down for now.

Lucas shivered, but whether from cold or fear Claus couldn't tell. He grasped one of his brother's hands. It was as freezing as hell.

Sliding an arm around his brother's shoulders, Claus gently pulled him closer, feeling his body heat warm the two of them up. Shaking slightly, Lucas immediately huddled in closer, burying his head into their embrace. His frozen nose poked into his shoulder like ice.

But body heat did little to comfort Claus. Ness was (in his opinion) acting like a major fuckass, Ninten was out cold (the Podunk teen would appreciate that pun wholeheartedly), and worst of all, Lucas was so close, yet so far. Lucas had always been there for him when no one was, and now, Claus felt terribly lonely.

"Ness?"

Claus jolted into awareness. He whipped around, but Ness was nowhere in sight, and Lucas was looking straight at him. Claus sighed.

_I really hope this drug trip won't last too long._

"Yeah?"

"Did my brother curse you out again? I'm sorry." Lucas sighed wearily. "I talked to him yesterday, and he apologized. He's sorry." A pause. "I'm not lying. That's what he said. Honest. I'm not making it up." Another pause. " I'm sorry. I lied. I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I'm a liar."

Claus's stomach twisted into contorted knots. "It's okay, Lucas."

"Okay." Lucas rolled the word in his mouth. "You like to use that word a lot. Okay."

"Hm."

Lucas smiled sincerely. "It's _okay_, Ness. Sometimes things don't always work out, but you have to move on. At least your dad loves you. I don't know if mine does." Lucas's eyes shone wistfully. "Thanks for being my best friend, Ness. There aren't many people who'll listen to me when I talk."

Claus's heart constricted painfully. "No problem."

"I think you're brave. Like Claus. I wish I could be brave. I'm a coward. Claus said so."

"You're not a coward."

"Thanks, Ness," Lucas said cheerfully. "But you don't have to lie. I'm a useless crybaby, and everybody knows that."

Realizing that it was hopeless to argue, Claus sighed and dragged a hand down his face. He fell silent, hoping that Lucas would catch his drift. Under normal circumstances, Lucas would've recognized his twin's reluctance to speak and would've backed off accordingly. But these weren't "normal circumstances"; Shrooms seemed to turn his shy, considerate brother into a blissfully oblivious chatterbox.

Lucas's voice filtered through the clearing yet again. "Hey, Ness?"

_I'm not Ness! _Claus wanted to scream, but Lucas was pleading at him with those wide, blue eyes and...oh, goddamnit, Lucas.

Claus reluctantly decided to humor him. "Yeah?"

Lucas leaned forward conspiratorially. "If it makes you feel better," Lucas whispered mischievously. "I think that Claus is a big dork too."

"That's great," Claus frowned, and Lucas laughed. Mentally, Claus reminded himself to have a nice, long chat with a certain baseball captain soon.

Lucas yawned sleepily, rubbing his eyes. The effects of the drug finally seemed to be wearing him out. "...Ness? Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"But it's a secret. You can't tell anyone," Lucas insisted firmly. "_Especially_ Claus."

Claus's interest peaked, but he immediately quenched it with guilt. What was he thinking? He shouldn't be listening in to his brother's private, innermost thoughts.

But Lucas was still eagerly waiting for him to respond. Curiosity finally got the better of him, and in that split second, Claus made a decision.

"I won't."

Lucas sighed deeply. For a short while, he said nothing, and Claus almost thought that Lucas had not heard him in his drug-induced state.

But then the words tumbled out of his brother's lips.

"I know that Claus can be really nasty to you," Lucas admitted honestly, hugging his legs. "My brother's reckless. Half the time, he doesn't think before he acts, and he can get too over-protective. That's why he often ends up causing more harm than good. Sometimes, I try to tell him, but it really frustrates me when he doesn't want to listen."

Claus was now beginning to regret ever starting this conversation. With a tight feeling in his chest, Claus turned away, trying to ignore the dismay twisting his heart into contorted knots. But as he rolled over, Lucas's last words managed to float past his ear.

"...but I wouldn't trade him for anyone else in the world."

Claus froze in place.

"He's smart. He's brave," Lucas said softly. "He's endured a lot of crap for me, and I'm really grateful, because not many people would do that for their younger siblings. Claus has a really big heart." Lucas smiled, confidently looking up at the ceiling with glazed eyes. "I know you two can get along great. Give him time. He doesn't show it, but he's definitely a lot happier after we met you and Ninten."

Another yawn, then Claus felt his brother's head slump against his shoulder.

"After mom died, Claus looked so sad...I don't like seeing Claus sad," Lucas murmured, closing his eyes. "I'd do _anything _to make Claus happy. Do you believe me when I say that, Ness?"

Claus swallowed hard. "I believe you."

The blond fell silent. Claus waited. But when his younger brother didn't speak again, he quickly snuck a glance over his shoulder.

Lucas had fallen asleep.

Claus's expression softened, and he gently ruffled his brother's hair. "You think too much, Lucas," he muttered under his breath, then chuckled. "But I guess that's good enough for both of us, huh?"

Lucas's gentle breathing was all he heard in response, and Claus sobered up solemnly. In a rare act of brooding silence, he moodily watched the flurry of snowflakes fall outside.

_Plink. Plink. Plink._

When he had started school back in August, Claus had only hoped to pass his exams, construct the solar car by February, and continue waging his locker-prank war against Ninten without getting caught.

What he had NOT expected was escaping from his supposedly sadistic Calculus teacher, chasing after mountain lions, and shooting thunderbolts from his fingers. And to add to that, he had almost lost his brother _three_ times over the course of their first semester alone.

That thought frightened Claus.

For some stupid reason, thick, hot tears started to seep from his eyes. Angrily, Claus fisted them away, then pulled Lucas closer. A lump formed in his throat, and he tightly pressed his cold, numb lips together.

"I'm sorry, Lucas," Claus said quietly. "Between the two of us, you never were the coward." He laughed shakily. "I am."

As if in answer, the howling wind battered mercilessly against the measly cave. With a heavy heart, Claus gave a last sigh, then closed his watery eyes against the bitter cold.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Heya guys!**

**A heads up: **

**(1) Claus could use PK Thunder, and I gave Ness PK Fire, so I wanted to give Lucas PK Freeze. I know it's not actually in his moveset (except in Brawl), but - shhh - it's for the plot!**

**(2) When I confirm that a character/event's going to occur, he/she/it will. Sometimes, I just find a more fitting end to a chapter and scenes get cut off, but they should re-appear in future chapters. **

**And hooray for a generic cover pic of a teardrop because I was too lazy to draw something. :x Oh well. It could be much worse. Do people even look at these things, I mean heck, I could probably upload a pic of a lettuce leaf wearing sunglasses and nobody would care. Then I'd change this fic name to "For the Power of Lettuce" and everyone would think I'****ve completely lost it. Heh.**

**Answering your reviews! :D**

**DarkFoxKit: Now that you mention it, I guess Giygas is a creepy stalker. Who knows? DX And yeah, Ness's backstory does sound a lot more traumatizing than it actually is. :x Oops. And high five - I love Tanetane mushrooms too. ;) YAS we'll finally get to that flash forward this chapter! *cheers***

**ConnorTheSpelingPro: Oh no! I don't wanna be reported for manipulating feelings! D: *Hands you a tissue* We're not even done with the story yet ack! And haha thanks; you flatter me. :) I'm no pro, but hey, writing is cathartic, right? xD And haha everything will be _okay...probably._ *Checks over chapters* Or not. Who knows? Giygas does seem a little bitter, and as to if we'll investigate the reasons behind that...we'll see :) And lol, I think you're the only person to mention Giygas at all! Everyone was more or less preoccupied by the Ness/Claus spat, the TaneTane mushroom samba, or Lucas running into a wall. xD Too much happened haha**

**JustMeHi: Thanks for the compliment. :) Ness's backstory took me a few tweaks to make it sound right (because _English_), and that TaneTane trip was especially fun to write about. And ahh, I can relate. *Hands you a tissue* My parents aren't divorced, but the phrases I used for Ness's parents last chapter were similar sentences I remember from my childhood. But everything's gonna be _okay_. :)**

**Guest: Haha don't worry, I've got plenty in store! And yes, Lucas, stop running into walls; it's bad for your health. DX**

**Angel-Woof: You can predict my uploading dates? *Le gasp* You're a wizard, Harry. ;D Once again, thanks. :) Delivering emotions was my goal, so I guess I did it right this time. OKEI! *Pumps fist into the air* And hooray for Mother released on VC! *Dances with you* And ahh, yes. Claus and Ness will probably get over their differences...maybe. Glad to know you liked the TaneTane mushroom samba - I loved writing that part. ;D And I agree. High Lucas can be funny Lucas. XD And yeah, Ness has been through a lot, huh? *Hands you a tissue* Gods you readers are making me run out of tissues and I'm on a budget DX **

**PKLoveGamma: Yeah haha! Unexpected humor is always great after a bucket of feels. :D **

**ImaGuest: Yep...Lucas, no. Stop running into walls. DX**

**NintenGirl9x: Ahh thank you. :) Ninten really has the worst luck, doesn't he? :x My brother has asthma too, so I can relate. Poor kid. And as for if everyone escapes safely...we'll see. ;)**

**Guest: Intentional irony both times, I assure you. ;) I play brawl too, and Ness's _Okay _taunt is so funny; I had to add it into the story somehow. And he sounds like a boy on flu. xD And yeah, I was tempted to make everyone hallucinate, but it wouldn't have worked because...plot. If it makes you feel better, I was _THIS_ close to making Ninten hallucinate as well.**

**Readergirl27: Yep. Very intense chapter ftw. ;D And everyone got home safely...probably. It's funny how you're the ONLY person to mention how long TaneTane mushrooms last, because eh, I don't know. *Shrugs shoulders* XD We'll see.**

**OKEY: Haha thanks for the warm praise. :) I tried to combine everything as best as I can, because to be honest...*Shifts eyes guiltily and lowers voice* ...I've never played any of the Mother games before. Only brawl. *Sobs in shame* But it's OKEY. ;) I'll do my best with consulting the Earthbound Wikis. **

**Silvereyer: And what do you know? I updated. xD Thank you for your kind words. :) And hey, its okay, I liked writing the Ness/Claus fighting scene. At least reading is passive! xD Yeah, I'm glad you think the angst wasn't over the top. Of all the genres, I seem to be best adapted at Angst and Hurt/Comfort, so I'm trying to maintain a balance. It might be obvious, but I'm trying to work on action scenes. :x idk. I find constant fighting to be a little tiresome. But I guess the pain is still the same, whether it's "Ouch, my feels" or "Ouch, your fist is in my face." xD**

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	18. Snowman

**UPDATE 9-3-15**

**Haha I've taken quite a break from Fanfiction, haven't I? But no worries. :) I'm polishing up chapter 20, and chapter 19 is so long that I'm splitting it into two chapters. I'll try to post the first half of Chapter 19 up sometime within a week.**

**As usual, thanks for your support. You guys rock.**

* * *

_Claus?_

_L-Lucas? Why aren't you in bed?_

_I heard you running outside...Where are you going, Claus? _

_Where am I - what're you talking about? I'm not going anywhere, Lucas. Go back to sleep._

_Then why aren't you dressed in your pajamas? And...Is that dad's hunting knife?!_

_Finders, keepers._

_Claus!_

_That drunk driver caused all of this. I'm gonna find that bad man and make him pay._

_You don't even know where he lives!_

_Wait here, Lucas. I promise I'll be back._

_What are you gonna do when you find him?_

_I-I don't know! I'll think of something, okay?_

_You'll die out there! P-Please, Claus, don't do this, don't do this to me-_

_I'm not going to die, Lucas. Just you wait, I'm gonna bring mom home before you know it-_

_Mom's dead!_

_Liar!_

_Don't go! I can't let you__ die too!_

_Lucas, leave me alone, you coward! _

_I'm not a coward!_

_Yes, you are! Go home! Go cry at mom's grave like the useless crybaby you are! _

_No! Stay! I-I promise I won't cry again!_

_Lucas...? __Lucas! Let go of my knife!_

_It's dad's!_

_We have no dad! Dad's dead, like mom!_

_Please, Claus, don't leave, I'll...I'll do anything, please please please don't go I'm begging you__-_

_Lucas. LET. GO!_

.

_...Lucas? What's wrong?!_

_._

__Oh no, I didn't mean to! Wake up, Lucas!_ I'm sorry! _

_._

_HEEELP! Somebody! Anybody! _

_._

**_LUCAS!_**

* * *

Claus jerked back into awareness.

Sweat poured down his clammy skin like freezing rain. Panicking, his blue eyes darted around instinctively in search of his twin brother-

But Claus didn't have to worry. Lucas was still leaning against his shoulder. The blond's slow, sleepy sighs tickled his bare neck.

Claus exhaled a shaky breath, then steadied his trembling fists. Lucas wasn't lying limp in his arms, unresponsive to his desperate, frantic yells. It had only been a dream.

Memories from last night started to trickle in. He recalled how they had oh-so-narrowly escaped from Giygas by the skin of their teeth. A quick glimpse revealed that Ninten was peacefully snoozing away, and Ness...

Claus paused in his train of thought. Where _was_ Ness?

Something flickered faintly outside, and loud, raucous laughter caught his ear. That definitely didn't sound like Ness.

Gently laying Lucas on his side, Claus curiously crunched his way over to the source of light. A darkened figure sat alone with his back turned to him, stoking the meager fire. Ness.

_That's odd. I was pretty sure he was talking with someone a second ago..._

"Hey! Hey, kid! Talk to us!"

"Shut up."

"Aww, you mad, bruh?" A disembodied snigger. "Oh, we _know_ you wanna beat us to pulp. You do, don't you? Bring it on, fatboy!"

"I'M NOT FAT!"

"Sure you aren't, _fatboy._" The pack of Chilly Dogs howled in hysterical laughter. "Come closer! It'll be nice to _eat _you!"

Claus froze. _Is Ness talking to __those Chilly Dogs?_

Still oblivious to Claus's presence, Ness threw the Chilly Dogs a withering scowl. "Leave me alone!"

"Woah. Take it easy, _chubs._" The arctic predators cackled hysterically like a pack of hyenas.

Claus had enough. Throwing away all caution, he ambled over. His shoes loudly crunched into the snow, and Ness stiffened at the indication of his approach.

One of the chilly dogs caught sight of him. "Oh, look! Another living meat!" A whoop of glee. "Ayyyyyy! Ay, carrot-head! Talk some sense into fatty over here, will yah-"

Claus's hands suddenly erupted into sparks of electricity. "You're barking up the wrong tree, _mutt,_" Claus hissed dangerously, icy blue eyes ablaze.

The Chilly Dogs nervously backed away. "We're just jokin' around, ginger," the alpha male whimpered, flattening his ears. "Take it easy..."

"Scram!" Claus snarled, viciously kicking a rock at them.

Ice erupted in its wake. With a howl of terror, the chilly dogs fled with their tails between their legs. Then the night was enveloped in thick silence once more, save for the crackle of the twisting fire.

Ness sullenly prodded a stick into the flames. "Stupid mutts."

Claus scowled. "Why the hell were you letting them talk shit over you?"

"They were trying to lure me away from the fire," Ness muttered. "...and I'm not fat," he added sourly under his breath.

Claus had never really given it much thought. He studied Ness. If anything, years of baseball had melted away much of his baby fat, giving Ness more of a burly, broad-shouldered physique. Stocky, perhaps, but chubby? Not really.

Out of curiosity, Claus examined his own fingers. Both he and Lucas were tall and lanky, but working on the farm had made them lean even though their skinny build didn't show it. He'll never be ripped, but Claus supposed it could be a lot worse. Ninten always seemed to be cursed with a frail, unhealthy figurine no matter how often he exercised.

Claus sighed, then shook the train of thought from his head. "I can't believe it. This entire journey's just been insane," he muttered. "First, our Calculus teacher turns out to be a sadistic mastermind, and now Chilly Dogs can talk. Damn logic."

Ness threw him a look. "Haven't you noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

"PSI boosts your mental awareness," Ness closed his fist. "That's why you can understand animals."

"Not the mecha-lion," Claus pointed out.

"That was a Chimaera. Not exactly an animal."

Claus threw his hands in frustration. "Chimaera, animal...Does it make a difference?"

Ness shrugged nonchalantly. "Not really." He kicked more wood into the fire. Tiny embers flew, bark snapped and popped. Unzipping his bag, Ness dug a hand around in a pouch and fished something out. "Cup of Lifenoodles?"

"Lifenoodles?" Claus snorted, eying the package label. "Is that what they call Ramen these days?"

Ness shrugged again. "You want some or not?"

At the thought of food, Claus's stomach growled loudly much to his embarrassment.

"I guess. Now that you mention it, I'm feeling kind of hungry," Claus admitted.

"It might attract predators," Ness warned.

"Don't care. Doubt anyone could smell anything in this snowstorm anyways."

In no time, the cup of lifenoodles was brewing slowly over the fire. The smell of warm, steamy food spiraled in smoky wisps, tantalizing their cold, numb noses. The dead silence was only broken by the sound of broth merrily bubbling in a happy gurgle.

"How's your leg?" Claus said abruptly, eying the burn. The red, inflamed skin stretched painfully over Ness's calves. "You should heal that."

"My leg's fine." Ness's gaze flickered gloomily over to the cave. "But Ninten looks like Hell."

"His fever's getting worse."

"Ninten's health was pretty damn awful to begin with in the first place. He just hides it well." Ness sounded testy. "I think the cold really did a number on him."

Claus swallowed hard. "That doesn't sound good."

"No shit."

"We could heal him-"

"Already did." Ness's expression looked haggard. "He's okay for now, but his fever's a lot more serious than I thought. I wanted to do more, but if we attract Starmen..."

"Oh, right. Shit," Claus muttered darkly.

Ness abruptly poked a stick into the fire. "How's Lucas doing?"

"I don't know. He's been saying all sorts of stuff in his sleep," Claus admitted, shifting uneasily. "I can't tell if he's still high or not."

"Great." Ness's voice dripped with pure bitterness. "That's _perfect_."

Claus said nothing. There was no need to; the quivering tension in the air spoke enough for the two of them.

Ness bolted to his feet. "Why the hell is this shit happening to us?!" he suddenly screamed into the sky, tightly clenching his fists. "Dammit, is it too much to ask for a normal school year?!"

The dark thunderclouds rumbled ominously in response to his pitiful cry.

The distraught boy shakily stood upright in rebellion. "Well screw this! I don't give a fuck!" Ness slammed his palms against the snow, accentuating each curse with a vicious _crunch_. "Fuck the world! I'm so _fucking _tried of getting _fucked_ over by _fucking _Giygas all the _fucking_ time! FUCK!" Tears started to stream down his cheeks. "Damn it," he choked out, gritting his teeth. "Damn it all..."

Claus let him rage. As Ness vented out his frustration to the world, Claus stared moodily into the flickering fire.

But Ness quickly ran out of steam. His bitter rage extinguished, Ness lifelessly flopped onto the snow. "You know what? You're absolutely right, Claus." He laughed helplessly. "I'm pathetic."

Sighing heavily, Claus placed a palm to his aching head, sorely wishing for the _gazillionth _time that Lucas was here, because Claus sure as hell didn't feel like dealing with Ness's mood swings. "Ness," Claus said tiredly. "We're not getting into this again."

"It's all my fucking fault. If I never blabbed about that stupid facility, none of us would've gotten screwed over!"

"_Ness_."

"No, Claus! You're fucking right! Hell, nothing's okay! I'm a hypocrite!" Ness cried hysterically, waving his arms around. His violet eyes shone with pain. "Ninten's _dying_, Lucas is a complete _nutjob_, and I don't have a _fucking idea_ what to do next!"

"Get your shit together, you moron!" Claus suddenly snapped, stunning Ness temporarily. "Are you trying to get us all killed?! If you break down too, then we're done for!"

"Not really," Ness muttered dejectedly. "What would I know? I'm just a jackass who puts everyone in danger."

"...Look, I'm sorry." Claus took a shaky breath. "I didn't mean to call you a jackass-"

"It's 'kay," Ness mumbled, slumping over in defeat. He idly traced patterns into the snow with his fingers. "I deserved it anyways."

Ness's dead tone made Claus uncomfortable. The baseball captain was always filled with some sort of crazy passion for something, and now that his spirit was extinguished, Claus had no idea what to do.

"Are you giving up?" Claus sneered, hoping that the jibe would rile Ness up. "Talk about pathetic."

"I know," Ness said gloomily.

_Damn. That didn't work either. _Now at a loss for words, Claus gave up and decided to change track. "Why the hell are you outside?" he asked abruptly. "It's cold."

"I couldn't sleep."

"What kept you awake?"

Ness uncomfortably fiddled with the brim of his hat. Claus's words seemed to have resurfaced something unpleasant. And with the Chilly Dogs no longer a distraction, Ness couldn't help but brood on the worried thoughts seeping back into his soul.

_Gods, it's freezing. __I wonder how Paula and the others are handling all this snow. They'd better reach home safely. _

_Home..._

_My mom probably__ freaked out when I never came home from school. She's probably a nervous wreck right now. __And Tracy...__That stubborn girl'd better stay out of trouble._

_Geez, I miss them so much. __I really hope they're okay._

Ness exhaled loudly, and his breath spiraled into the air. "Forget it. You'd only laugh at me."

"Try me."

"I'd rather not." Ness wearily closed his eyes. "I don't want your pity."

Claus snorted. "How d'you know I'd laugh at you if you won't even give me a chance?"

"That's what you always do, in'nit?" Ness sounded bitter. "Make fun of me."

"No, I-"

"Don't deny it."

Claus groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Ness, I make fun of _everyone_."

"You're missing the point." Ness shook his head. "And I'm supposed to believe that you're _related_ to Lucas..."

Claus threw him an irritated look. "Well, if I'm missing the entire point, then why don't you tell me, Oh Great Knower of Everything? Oh wait, that's right. I'm _not_ Lucas. I'm _Claus_." He rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Pretend I'm Lucas, then. I bet you'd tell him anything."

Ness snorted from his place in the snowpile. "Don't have to. He already knows."

Claus abruptly bolted to his feet. "You think you're being a smartass, huh?"

"So what if I am?"

"Stop dicking around!"

"I'm not dicking around!"

"THEN GET TO THE FUCKING POINT!"

"FINE!" Ness screamed, eyes blazing with wild madness. "I'LL TELL YOU IF YOU STOP BOTHERING THE SHIT OUT OF ME!"

"ABOUT DAMN TIME!" Claus almost screamed back.

"I'M HOMESICK!"

Claus froze, dumbstruck.

"I'm homesick, okay?" Ness repeated, screwing his eyes shut. "Does that answer your question, Claus?" he choked out. "Go ahead! LAUGH at me like you always do, because I'm just so _funny _to you all the frickin' time, aren't I?!" Knees shaking from emotion and exhaustion, Ness wearily sank back into the snow. "You got what you wanted, Claus," he mumbled in a muffled voice. "Go away. I wanna be a-alone..."

Piteously curled up on his side, Ness looked so miserable that Claus closed his mouth.

_Great. Way to make me feel like the biggest douchebag in the entire universe._

But instead of leaving him alone, Claus only scooted closer so that they were sitting side-by-side. Staring intently at the snow, Ness steadily ignored him, but Claus stubbornly persisted.

"Hey. Listen to me. I'm not laughing, am I?" Understanding blue eyes blinked. "There's nothing wrong about feeling homesick."

"Sure. Maybe. I don't know." His mouth suddenly felt quite dry, and Ness tilted the brim of his cap over his watery eyes. "Ever since dad's left, it's been so hard on m' mom, 'specially with her street food business, you know?" His voice cracked. "I can't help it. I'm worried. I miss her a lot..."

Claus thought about his own father waiting back home. He wondered if Flint had started drinking again, then the heavy feeling in his stomach grew. "...I know."

Both boys silently watched the snowflakes flutter from the heavens and soak the earth. The cold sky seemed to be crying; the air damp and weather gloomy.

"I owe Lucas a lot."

"...Say what?"

"Your brother means a lot to me, Claus," Ness said quietly. "Because he helped me sort out my feelings towards my dad."

Claus looked stunned. "I thought you've always gotten along with your dad."

Ness laughed. "Always? Not really," he admitted. "It's a long story."

"We have time."

The crackling fire softened to a soothing murmur. Even the howling wind seemed to die down in anticipation of his explanation.

"My family used to be neck-deep in debt," Ness started. "When my dad started working overtime, mom got mad. She didn't like how he was neglecting our family for his job. But we were still pretty happy, see, and me and m' paps were pretty close." Ness paused. "Then my parents divorced."

His expression darkened, and Ness poked at the campfire with a stick. "It hit me hard. I couldn't believe that dad had the gall to _abandon _us. It's pathetic thinking back on it, but I turned into a total wreck. My grades started slipping. I couldn't focus on baseball. Mom always looked so tired, juggling two jobs and all, and I hated that. I blamed my dad for the divorce. I know, I was stupid and immature as fuck, but I couldn't help it. I hated him so much." Ness laughed bitterly. "Wouldn't you?"

Claus shifted uncomfortably. "I guess I would..." he admitted uneasily. "Didn't your dad call home afterwards?"

Ness snorted. "Oh yeah, he did. He'd call us, like, every week, but I didn't bother picking up the phone." Ness looked pained. "You've got to understand I wasn't thinking straight, Claus. I was _really_ mad at my dad. I never wanted to talk to him again. But as much as I hated him, I mean, he's still my dad. What was I supposed to do? Ignore him forever? Hell, I didn't even know what to think anymore."

Ness laughed. "Then Lucas convinced me to call my dad again. Said that not talking would only hurt both of us in the end. So I did." Ness uneasily stuffed his cold hands into his pockets. "He was right," he admitted. "It took me a while, but I'm glad I did. Apparently my dad missed talking to me too." He threw Claus a shifty glance. "So maybe you should give your dad a chance too."

Claus almost jumped out of his skin. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said defensively.

Ness rolled his eyes. "Right."

Of course, Ness wouldn't be fooled. Claus groaned and face-palmed himself. "I can't believe it. Sold out by my own _twin_."

Ness sent him a disapproving look. "Hey, Lucas was high. Cut him some slack."

"Of course, you'd say that. You're his best friend!"

"And you're his brother!"

"So?"

Ness smirked. "Don't act stupid, Claus. Admit it. You got jealous whenever Lucas hung out with me."

"I DID NOT!"

"Liar." Ness laughed. "Hell, even Lucas knows how annoyingly overprotective you are. He's just too nice to say it."

Claus's face turned the same of tomato-red shade as his hair. "He always puts everyone else before himself," he muttered sullenly. "_Someone_ has to look out for him."

"That's what we're here for."

"Mm."

"...Don't tell me. I sound sappy."

"Yeah, you do."

Ness laughed, then shoved his shoulder. "You're such a mean prick, you know that?"

"Ninten says that to my face _all the time_."

"No shit. You really are an overprotective bastard."

Claus laughed. "An overprotective bastard, huh?" His calculating blue eyes softened. "Well, let me tell you something, Ness. I didn't use to be so uptight all the time."

Ness rolled his eyes. "Sure."

"No. Really." Claus turned quiet. "After my mom died...well, my dad wasn't the most supportive person. He started binge-drinking. If he wasn't slaving away on the field, then he was knocked out in the kitchen." He sounded immensely bitter. "You know the rest; you heard Lucas. I argue with my dad all the time."

Ness shot him an uncertain look. "But your dad never, you know..." he hesitantly mimed hitting the air with his fist.

Claus shook his head. "He never abused us, but he never talked to us either. I guess he pretty much broke down in front of our eyes. And Lucas...Lucas would always cry every single day. Nothing I did made him happy again. It tore me apart." Claus suddenly laughed. "One day, I couldn't take it anymore. I ran away from home."

"You ran away?" Ness looked stunned. "How old were you?"

"I was seven."

"_Seven_?" Ness blurted out, horrified. "Claus, what the hell were you thinking?!"

Claus snorted. "That's the point. I wasn't thinking at all." His fists tightened. "All I wanted to do was find the drunkard who killed my mom and avenge her death. Somehow. I don't remember _what_ I was thinking."

"What happened next?"

Claus's eyes involuntarily flickered behind him.

"Lucas caught me running off with dad's hunting knife." Claus said softly, watching his brother breathe deeply in slumber. His eyes seemed to lose focus. "...We got into a pretty big fight. When I refused to stay, Lucas got desperate and wrestled the knife away. I tried to yank it free, but instead, I..." Claus swallowed hard. "I-I..."

Suddenly, Claus buried his face in his hands, muffling his anguished confession. "I accidentally stabbed him."

Ness's eyes flew open. "_What_?!"

"It wasn't on purpose! I swear!" Claus blurted out in mortification. His voice sounded pained. "That was the worst moment in my life, Ness. I really thought I'd killed him...and it happened right after mom died too..."

Claus fisted his own hair violently into twisting knots. "When he collapsed, I tried shaking him. That didn't work, so I was yelling and shouting and screaming all sorts of things into his face, but he wouldn't wake up..." Claus drew in several dry, rib-racking sobs that rattled and ripped through his skinny frame. "Lucas w-wouldn't w-wake up..."

Taken aback by the sudden show of emotion, Ness hesitantly reached out a reassuring hand to pat Claus on the back, then thought better of it. "Hey, spoiler alert," he pointed out gently. "He's alive."

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Claus laughed shakily. "Lucas's only alive because of stupid, dumb luck. I'd only knocked him unconscious with the blunt end of the knife. If it'd been the blade..." He shuddered. "I was terrified, Ness. I didn't know how Lucas was gonna react to seeing me again, and if Lucas decided to hate me for the rest of my life...I-I don't know what I'd do with myself. So all I could do was wait until he woke up...

_"Lucas?" Claus asked anxiously, intently watching his twin brother stir from the hospital bed._

_Lucas groaned, then grimaced, clutching his throbbing injury. "...Ow...My head hurts..."_

_"LUCAS!" Claus nearly wept with relief. "You're awake!"_

_Lucas blinked, not completely believing his eyes, because CLAUS was there, and brave, I've-never-shed-a-tear-in-my-life Claus was, well, CRYING his eyes out. "Claus?"_

_"I'm so sorry, Lucas, I-I didn't mean to, I swear! __It was an accident," Claus said hoarsely. He swallowed down the lump in his throat; h__is words sounded horribly lame, even to his own ears. __"You know I'd never hurt you on purpose, right?" _

_When his brother didn't respond, Claus felt his heart sink. "Lucas," he almost begged. "Say something!"_

_But the blond had still yet to speak. __Feeling Lucas's silent, shocked stare prickle his skin, Claus timidly averted his eyes, scuffing the white hospital tiles with his shoe. "Look, I-I won't blame you if you hate me, but I wanted to say that I'm really sor-"_

_"Claus!"_

_The next thing Claus knew, Lucas was squeezing the life out of him as if Claus had almost died instead._

_"L-Lucas?" Claus said stupidly, arms lying uselessly at his sides. "What-"_

_"Please don't leave, Claus," Lucas sobbed hysterically. Claus could feel his brother's hot tears trickle down his shoulder. "D-Don't leave! I'm sorry! I-I promise I won't cry again-"_

_"You dolt! I don't care about THAT!__" Claus cried, making Lucas fall silent in shock. "_Do you know how worried I was?__! _You could've DIED! You could've died like mom!__"_

_Of course, that made Lucas cry even harder._

_"Stop crying!" Claus stomped his foot angrily into the ground, even though he had no idea why he was angry and tears were flowing down his face too. "Geez, you're such a crybaby, Lucas-"_

_"__I don't care," Lucas sobbed, clinging onto his shirt tightly in a death grip. "I don't care!"_

_Claus gave a shaky laugh of relief. "You're so silly, Lucas." He closed his overflowing eyes. "Silly Lucas..."_

_"Stay, Claus, please stay..."_

_"I swear. I'll never run away again." Claus let out a choked sob, then buried his face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Lucas...I'm so sorry..."_

"I was stupid. I was selfish. I'd been so caught up trying to avenge my mom that I almost ended up killing my own twin brother. How pathetic is that?" Claus laughed bitterly. "You see why I'm such an overprotective bastard now, Ness? I can't let anyone hurt Lucas, because _I_ did. Lucas doesn't need more shit in his life." Claus exhaled shakily. "And you call yourself the hypocrite. Well, look no further, because the real hypocrite is sitting right here in front of you."

Ness looked stunned. "Claus...I-I never knew-"

"Well, now you do." Claus stared into the crackling campfire. "Lucas still gets these really bad nightmares of me running away. It's gotten a lot better with time...But nothing's really been the same ever since."

An impressive silence stretched between them. Ness was lost for words. In comparison to the twins' lives, his parents' divorce seemed a walk in the ball park. Mulling over it, Ness had to wonder how long Claus had lived bearing that haunting guilt.

Yet Claus had always been there for Lucas, hadn't he? Hell, Ness had to be blind not to notice how much Claus had cared for his younger twin. As an older brother himself, Ness only felt his respect for him grow.

Claus seemed to be zoning off in his own thoughts, so Ness glanced over his sleeping companions. Looking slightly better than before, Ninten muttered something about expired Oreos, then rolled over on his side, smacking his lips in content. Beside him, Lucas trembled and thrashed in the throes of another unpleasant nightmare; a growing frown creased his forehead.

That alone seemed to wake Claus out of his reverie. Gently, he brushed the sweaty, blond bangs out of his brother's face, then mentally swept away the dreadful dream. His expression looked so tender and heartfelt that Ness averted his eyes to give them privacy.

"S'okay," Claus murmured, squeezing his brother's hand in a soothing gesture. "'M here."

Lucas sighed, then relaxed. "...Claus," he breathed in relief. His eyelids fluttered weakly, trapped in a delirious haze. "C-Claus..."

Claus's eyes softened. "We're safe. Sleep."

Lucas didn't need to be told twice. As if he had heard him, the blond closed his weary eyes. In no time, Lucas fell back under deep slumber, evidenced by his heavy breathing.

Deeming it safe to look again, Ness watched them both from afar. "He'll be fine. Quit worrying, you prat."

"I can't help it. I don't want to lose him again."

"You can't protect him forever, Claus," Ness said softly. "Lucas'll have to fend for himself eventually."

"I know. That's why I..." Pale blue eyes abruptly latched themselves onto him. "Ness. Promise me something."

Ness was taken aback by Claus's sudden tone of urgency. "Yeah?"

"If something goes wrong in this stupid quest...a-and I'm not there..." Claus swallowed hard. "Keep an eye out for Lucas for me."

"What the hell, Claus?!" Ness sputtered. "I know. We screwed up big time, but d'you really think we'd be stupid enough to screw up again?!"

"You never know. Listen, Ness." Claus threw him a look. "Lucas isn't dense, but you've got to admit that he's pretty naive. If he does something stupid and gets himself killed...I don't think I could ever forgive myself."

"Dramatic much? Sometimes I think hanging around Ninten really rubs off on you." Ness rolled his eyes. "Give Lucas some credit, Claus. He's like, the _last_ person to do something stupid."

"That's why I'm worried."

Ness exhaled heavily. "I don't know, Claus..."

"We don't have to tell him. He won't ever have find out," Claus pleaded. "It can just stay between the two of us."

"Oh man. If Lucas ever finds out, he's not gonna be happy." Ness grimaced. "What if he thinks we're coddling him because we don't trust him to handle things on his own? Haven't you thought about that, Claus?"

"But it's for his own good. With Giygas targeting both of us..." Claus's eyes blazed wildly in desperation. "For crying out loud, do I have to explain? You're his best friend, Ness!"

"...Damn it, Claus," Ness grumbled. "Stop guilt-tripping me. We're all gonna be looking out for each other-"

"Answer me!"

Ness sighed. "You know what I'm going to say."

"I'm waiting."

A suspenseful silence. A dull crackle of fire.

Finally, Ness caved in. "Okay, I swear I'll keep him safe. Satisfied?"

All the tension seemed to flee from his shoulders. Claus noticeably relaxed. "Very."

Ness threw him an exasperated look. "Was that really necessary? You know I'd never let anything happen to him!" But Ness wasn't really annoyed; there was a slight twinge of amused humor in his voice.

"I still wanted to hear it from your mouth," Claus admitted.

The older boy threw him a look. "But under one condition...You'll tell him everything."

"But-"

"No buts. Lucas deserves to know."

"Fine," Claus grunted, crossing his arms. "Later."

"Geezus, Claus. It can't be that hard."

"Easy for you to say. Lucas isn't your brother."

"You can't be serious." Ness dragged a palm down his face. "All right, it's a secret. But this guilt is going to _kill_ me-"

Claus suddenly winced. "Ow."

"What's wrong?"

The ginger grimaced, rubbing at his throbbing bruise. "My jaw hurts like heck."

Ness threw him a guilty look. "I punched you pretty hard, didn't I?"

Claus snorted. "I kicked you in the ribs. We're even."

"Yeah." Ness winced. "Now that you mention it, breathing's gonna be a pain..."

Claus smirked. "You sissy. I didn't kick you _that_ hard."

Ness rolled his eyes. "I never said that it hurt, it's just kinda sore. I can take an amateur like you anytime."

"That's what you'd like to think, _noob_."

"Look who's talking!"

The sound of vigorous bubbling interrupted their bickering, and Ness's eyebrows shot up. "The Lifenoodles! _Shit!_" Ness desperately dived forward, trying to save their meal from the mercy of the fire.

"Dude, you are such a noob-"

"I'm not a noob!" Laughing, Claus ducked as Ness hurled a pair of wooden chopsticks at his head. "Shut up and eat, _ginger__snaps_."

"You suck at cooking."

"It's not cooking if this stuff's pre-packaged!"

All conversation halted briefly as they devoured their meager meal. Chopsticks clacked, noodles slurped. The wintry silence was only broken by the sound of ravenous eating.

Five minutes later, Claus made a face. "Ugh, this tastes _disgusting_."

"Oh man, trust me. You don't know _disgusting _until you hear this." Ness's grin widened. "Last year, Ninten and I went to O-Mart with Teddy, and dude, you wouldn't believe what happened..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It was a dawn of yet another, nameless day.

Whether it was Monday or Friday, the fact never changed: his sons were missing. Flint could feel their emptiness at home. A heavy silence weighed in the dwelling, unbroken by Claus's excited footsteps or Lucas's happy laugh.

He was alone.

_This is a taste of my own medicine, _Flint thought dryly. He hadn't been there for his sons during the past six years. Perhaps this was how withdrawn little third grade Lucas had felt when Hinawa died, or maybe how angry Claus had been at the world for taking everything away from his life.

It was truly a miracle that he hadn't spiraled back to drinking. The aching withdrawal symptoms were still there, and Flint was painfully aware of them. They clawed at his blood, tickling his skin like an itch that refused to leave.

On the day the police came to report Lucas and Claus missing, he had popped open a casket of wine and allowed himself one drink, just one to numb the pain. But no matter how much his body had screamed for more, Flint had stopped. He could feel Claus's simmering disapproval and Lucas's quiet melancholic gaze from the empty dining table.

_You promised, _He could hear Claus's disappointed voice say.

For the first time since Hinawa had died, Flint had cried. Gathering the vats of alcohol in his arms, he had tossed them outside in a pit of dirt, then set the devilish substance ablaze. He had numbly watched the burning bonfire for hours until the inferno finally died down into crumbling ashes.

But this time, Flint wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. He had sworn to uphold a promise, and he was going to keep it.

At the crack of dawn, he was off to the marketplace to buy his livestock sufficient feed for the winter. The trip to the marketplace went as planned. He stepped inside the store, bought some grain, then briskly returned home.

Or at least, he would've returned home, had he not caught a pleasant whiff of grilled steak wafting from a nearby street food stand. His stomach grumbled in protest, and Flint realized that he hadn't eaten in days. If he was famished, he might as well pick up a quick bite to eat. Regain some energy before searching for his missing sons.

He sidled closer to the source of the delicious cooking. The street food stand was covered with a white - now faded dusty gray - canvas, that hung like a tent over some plastic chairs and a small, makeshift kitchen in the back. There seemed to be only one woman working here, clad in a dark, black dress, and she seemed to be the chef. The noisy, weary clatter of dishes and sluggishly running water hit his ears.

Flint's presence caught the chef's attention, and - to his own irony - he ended up ordering a steak-filled omelet. While she was cooking his order, Flint peered around the street food stand. The interior of the canvas was pasted with several posters asking for the whereabouts of a missing, black-haired teen. The teen looked familiar, but in the darkness of dawn, Flint couldn't tell.

But his stomach plummeted; the missing posters had reminded him of his lost sons.

"...Your order, sir."

The woman's voice jolted him out of his reverie.

Flint stood up, thankful for the distraction, then grabbed his order. He tasted the omelet. Surprisingly, it tasted just like Lucas's, maybe a hint saltier, but the fluffy texture still reminded him of better times and warmed his insides.

A distressed sniffling caught his ear. Flint lifted his head.

The chef was crying silently, tears rolling down her cheeks as she cooked another batch of omelets onto the stove.

Flint hesitated, then sidled over by the kitchen counter. He lowered the brim of his hat. "Excuse me, Miss. Are you all right?"

The woman jumped, before hastily wiping her tears away with a napkin. Flint wordlessly reached into his vest, pulling out Hinawa's white handkerchief. She took it graciously, dabbing at her eyes.

"Oh, thank you, kind sir. I'm quite all right..." The chef laughed weakly. Her watery eyes glazed over. The perfect picture of brooding worry. "...But I'm afraid I cannot say the same for my son. He went missing from school along with a few of his friends." The chef waved an arm aimlessly at the missing posters around them. "That's him. Ever since I divorced his father, it's been very hard on my son, but he's always been nothing but a huge help. Running after school to help me with the grocery errands and deliveries..."

Flint nodded silently, a lump forming in his throat. Within the chef's miserable speech, he could pick out a tone of pride. She had every right; not many teenage boys would probably be willing to help out their parents in hardship. Flint felt an odd mix of sympathy and guilt: sympathy for the chef's loss, guilt that he had not been there for his ever-responsible sons after Hinawa had passed away.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm afraid I'm in the same boat."

The chef looked up startled. "Your sons...?"

"Twins."

The woman flinched so violently that she almost burned her hands on the stove. "It c-can't be...Lucas and Claus?" she stammered.

Flint jolted. He stared at her in dawning incomprehension. "Yes."

The woman laughed, but this time there was no trace of bitterness. "Ness talks about them all the time. Claus sometimes tags along with him on his grocery errands, and in fact, Lucas taught me his homemade recipe for his omelets last year." She smiled sadly, clearly reminiscing the pleasant memories. "Your sons are very conscientious. You must be very proud of them."

_Ness._

That name clicked into Flint's head. The image of a confident, black-haired teen sprung up in his mind. "Ness is a smart lad," he finally said. "I'm sure he'll keep himself safe."

Looking at her more closely, Flint realized that she was quite pretty - her eyes laughed and crinkled the same way Hinawa's had. His heart twinged with a pang of remorse.

The woman sighed. "We can only hope for the best..." Her lips quirked upwards slightly. "_Elpis..._the very last thing trapped in Pandora's Pithos..." She stared into the distance. "The only thing left in the hands of mankind."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Claus! Ness! Wake up!"

Said twin blearily registered someone roughly shaking his shoulders, and thoroughly disgruntled, feebly swatted at the annoying hands. "Cut it out...Wanna sleep..."

"I'm serious! I need your help!"

_Wait...this voice sounds familiar... _It clicked. His brain finally caught up to his sleep-induced state, and Claus jolted awake. "Lucas?!" he sputtered.

True to his word, his brother's worried face swam in his vision.

"You're awake!" Lucas looked immensely relieved. "Listen, when I woke up I...Guys?"

Claus and Ness were both eying him strangely. Their blank stares were starting to make him increasingly nervous, so Lucas threw them both an anxious look. "...Is there something on my face?"

Suddenly, Claus let loose a loud laugh of relief, then pulled his startled brother into a crushing bear-hug. "You're back!"

Caught by a surge of bewildered confusion, Lucas hesitantly patted Claus on the back. "I'm...back," Lucas agreed dumbly. He frowned. "Wait, back from where?"

Ness popped up at his side with a grin. "You were as high as fuck."

Catching sight of their amused smiles, Lucas groaned. "I said something stupid, didn't I?"

Claus smirked. "Maybe. Maybe not,"

Lucas flushed in mortification. "Oh no," he said meekly. "Don't tell me. I don't wanna know..."

Ness snorted into laughter. "You called me _dad_."

If possible, Lucas's face turned an even brighter red. "I-I did not!"

Claus cackled loudly. "True story, bro. I can attest."

As his brother and best friend grinned at him like a pair of silly loons, Lucas narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wait, what's up with you two...?" Lucas started, his gaze lingering on their bruises. "Did something happen?"

"What d'you mean?" Claus chimed with a grin.

"You two don't usually...nevermind. We can talk later." Lucas's face dissolved into worry. "Ninten looks ill. _Really_ ill."

That wiped the smile off their faces.

"Is he awake?" Ness asked.

Lucas nodded.

Without missing a beat, Ness sprinted over. "Ninten?"

A sickly smell hung over the enclosed air.

Ninten's entire face was flushed. Perspiration dripped from his black bangs, and his wet brown eyes looked clouded from feverish haze. He uttered another weak moan before stirring awake. "Hey."

Lucas placed a hand on his head, before yanking it away with a startled gasp. "Ninten! You're burning up!"

"Duh, Lucas." Ninten said, cracking a feeble grin. "I'm hot stuff. Geddit? _Hot_ stuff?"

"...I can't believe you." Even in his distraught state, Claus couldn't help but roll his eyes. "And you wonder why your pick-up lines never work for Ana."

Ness immediately materialized beside him. "Does he need an inhaler?"

"I-I'm fine!" Ninten gasped, cursing his weakness for the millionth time.

_Why do I hold everyone back...?_

But with a small shake and a grimace, Ninten forced himself upright, wobbling on unsteady knees. "I'm ready. Time to go-"

His knees buckled, and without warning, Ninten stumbled. Lucas cried out in alarm, but before Ninten could pitch forward into the ground, something steadied his arm.

"And where the hell do you think _you're_ going?" Claus snorted, hefting Ninten back onto his feet like a kitten. But it did no good; his exhaustion was simply too much for him to handle, and Ninten flopped back onto the ground like a dead stone.

"Ninten?" Lucas's worried face swam next to his brother's. "Can you stand?"

Ninten grunted before trying again and failing. If he wasn't already flushed from fever, he was now from humiliation.

All in all, Ninten felt awful. He could hear his muscles screaming in agony, and his empty stomach violently twisted from lack of food. Talking only made things worse; his mouth felt uncomfortably dry, and he felt like he was about to puke any minute.

"Shit. I really can't stand."

Ness bit his lip, clearly torn. "But we have to keep moving, or the Starmen will find us..."

Ninten groaned. "I can crawl," he rasped. "It's not a big d-deal..."

"You're not going anywhere," Ness immediately countered, eyebrows furrowed. "Ninten, your health-"

"There's nothing wrong with my health!" Ninten snapped angrily. "I'm perfectly FINE!"

"Sure, you are," Claus said sarcastically. "Listen, you're in no condition to fight, much less walk three centimeters in front of your nose."

"I can handle it!" Ninten protested weakly, struggling to his feet. "Just watch me! I can...I can..." His eyes rolled up into the back of his head, and he slumped over in an unconscious heap.

"Ninten!"

Claus caught him by the shoulders. "Damn it, Ninten! Stop over-exerting yourself!"

Ninten shuddered. Hot tears streamed down from his abnormally pale cheeks. "Water," Ninten croaked. "Want...water..."

"We could melt the snow..." Lucas trailed off feebly.

"Won't help." Ness raised his voice above Ninten's pathetic cries. "He needs medical treatment. Now."

"W-Water..."

"Use PK Healing!" Claus cut in, exasperated. He gestured to Ninten's limp, moaning form. "I mean, _look_ at him! He already looks half-dead, Ness! Do you really think he could last another day like this?!"

"I know! But we need a place to rest and recover!" Ness looked desperate. "If we keep moving around in the cold, he might get worse, or one of us might end up getting sick too!"

A place to rest and recover. Lucas's breath hitched in his throat. _I don't know if they can help, but it can't hurt to try._

Claus's voice cut into his thoughts. "-ou think, Lucas? Don't zone out on us too." But when Lucas turned around, Claus caught the determined spark in his eye. "Got an idea?"

"Yeah," Lucas said quietly. He stared at Ninten slowly suffering on the rocky floor, and the cold whistle seemed to weigh heavier in his pocket. "I think I know what to do."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Lucas blew the Silver Dragonfly. A reedy, exotic tune played from his lips.

One minute. Two.

Time ticked past, and nothing happened.

But Lucas refused to lose hope. _Come on...Please..._

.

.

.

.

.

Then-

"Holy heck!" Ness exclaimed in disbelief, peering into the snow. "Is that a _flying _coffee table?!"

* * *

**Author's Note:**** Enjoy the long-awaited chapter.**** :) ****If you're reading this, then congratulations! Despite my crappy writing, you have decided to give my amateurish fic a second chance, and have trudged through a heck of 100K+ words.**

**All of you have been ****interactive, patient readers so far. I really cannot thank you enough for your support, whether you've been an active reviewer, or merely a secret lurker (haha I'm not judging you - I know that feel). Seriously, Thank you x 1000000000.**

**So hey, I'll be willing to play an ****interesting**** gamble with ya'll. Call it a _harmless game_, if you will. As reward for your generous support, I've decided to tease you with scenes taken out-of-context from future chapters.**

**Yep, you heard me correctly. From FUTURE chapters. **

**Of course, though, there is one _tiny_, eensy-weesy catch: I'm not labeling what's real, and what's fake. Heck, for all I know, all of them might be fake. How refreshing! But rest assured that I'm not _that_ mean. ;)**

**And w****ithout further ado, ****Which of the following are real futuristic scenes?**

**(1) Ness is given the kiss of life. Or death. Or whatever.**

**(2) PK Starstorm. Because reasons.**

**(3) "Don't struggle! Just endure it for a little bit."**

**(4) Claus dies.**

**(5) All of the above.**

**See? I'm even nice enough to toss in choice 5 to mess with your minds. Because, really now, it'd be too ****boring** **if I didn't, don't you agree? ;D Have fun! Nwehehehe!**

* * *

**ConnorTheSpelingPro: Haha Thanks. :) For some reason, writing about high/drunk/psychologically-impaired characters flows more naturally to me. :x And hey, I like the criticism! I was re-reading the last chapter, thought that the tension between Ness and Claus went unnaturally smoothly, then went F*** it, they're _BRAWLING_. Haha, geddit? *gets hit in the head with a frying pan* Sorry, lame pun. But indeed, what defines cowardice? We could enter quite a philosophical discussion over that. :)**

**Angel-Woof: Hey, I don't think yo references are lame. DX Better than mine haha! And lol, I like that you added the *that's why I rarely drink alcohol.* That really made my day. xD Hmmm...whether or not Claus and Ness ever get over their spat, and whether Ninten will get better...who knows? ;) But haha, I read over all those questions you posted...very good questions too! ;D For now, we'll see, my friend, we'll see.**

**ApprenticeWriter: Thank you! :) Yes, I too believe that Claus was in denial over Hinawa's death, while Lucas accepted it. I honestly had no idea that many people thought the other way around. Perhaps they interpreted Hinawa's appearance in Chapter 6 as Lucas's unwillingness to let go of his past? We may never know. And haha, chatterbox Lucas is really too much fun to write. I'm a horrible person. xD **

**PKLoveGamma: Haha I hope that my chapter was more than just "semi good stuff." jk, I'm just messing with you. ;) But thanks! Hooray for deep stuff woooo**

**DarkFoxKit: Haha I really put the characters through a lot of pain, don't I? xD As for if Claus and Ness get along better...We'll see. ;) And yep, when in doubt, jump off a cliff. Oh PSI logic. XD Thanks; I really enjoyed writing that scene where Lucas thinks he's talking to Ness, but it's actually Claus instead...High!Lucas is so fun to write. Makes my life easier with conveying feels. xD**

**CrankySky: Claus really is the best brother ever, right? :) As for if Ninten will recover...we'll see. ;) And yes, I love writing about heartfelt interactions between Lucas and Claus. :) Brothers ftw!**

**Silvereyer: AHH Thanks xD And you're not alone; High!Lucas is so much fun to write! Hooray for self-deprecating feelings. :D And wow haha lots of excellent questions! Man, you reviewers are getting serious! XD Hmm...I do wonder too about what happened to Ninten and the other PSI teens. ;) But whether or not Lucas will stay high...we'll see. :)**

**OXYD: Aaah yes, Shrooms. Man's best friend. And secret notes gallore! ;D We'll have to wait and see, my friend.**

**Readergirl27: Tough journey is indeed tough. ;D And hey, no sweat! My username is _indeed_ short for "Phoenix Song," so "fee-song" would be the appropriate pronunciation. I honestly don't care though haha! Whatever makes you happy. :)**

**JustMeHi: Perhaps Lucas will wake up fine. Perhaps not. Maybe I've been trolling all the readers, and _this story is just __one, giant nightmare! _*Le gasp* Who knows? We'll see. ;)**

**MyXD: And yes, Claus has feeling. xD Probably. Who knows?**

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	19. ARC III: YOUR SANCTUARY

**.**

_**~ARC III: YOUR SANCTUARY~**_

**.**

* * *

**_Past_:**

"-and there," Claus finished, scribbling his signature in green ink. "Now it's your lucky charm."

"Great. I'm so glad it's finally Claus-approved," Lucas joked, carefully examining his arm cast.

Rolling his eyes, Claus gave a sigh of exasperation. "I can't honestly believe you broke your arm in the school _bathroom._"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I can't believe it either. The floor was, um, wet. I tripped and fell on my arm," Lucas lied, fervently hoping that Claus wouldn't see through his act.

"I know, right?" Claus agreed, nodding his head. "Man, that must have been one heck of a fall."

Lucas lowered his eyes. "Yeah, it was..." he said quietly.

"No kidding. You looked completely trashed," Claus replied, eyeing him carefully.

Feeling like he was being X-rayed, Lucas resisted the urge to shrink back, and involuntarily tugged on the sleeves of his shirt to hide the bruises on his unbroken arm. "I guess it just wasn't my day," Lucas laughed nervously, averting his eyes to study the floor. "W-We all have b-b-bad days, right, Claus?"

To his surprise, Claus didn't question him. "Yeah," Claus said, forcing a laugh so painful that even Lucas could see through it. "I mean, you're right, we all totally have those days."

Suddenly Claus's feeble laughter froze. His eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute."

Lucas tried not to look anxious. "C-Claus?" he stammered. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, hell yes!"

Lucas internally winced. "I-I don't know what you're talking about-" he managed to say before Claus interrupted him completely.

"I lost Ninten's History textbook!"

Lucas hid a sigh of relief. "Maybe you left it in your locker," he suggested easily.

Uttering a sound of frustration, Claus groaned. "Yeah, I think I did. Crap, and my locker's all the way on the other side of the school...Geezus, I hate this place." Kicking at a rock, Claus grunted in irritation. "Stupid, oversized buildings-"

"That's probably because our school teaches from 6th to 12th grade," Lucas suggested wisely.

"A shitty idea, if you ask me." Claus paused absentmindedly. "Listen, Lucas, I'm gonna head back and grab my textbook. I know we're like thirty minutes early today, but if you head to class, I'll catch you in a bit, okay?"

A wave of pure panic seized Lucas's heart. "Right now?"

"Don't worry! It'll-be-quick-I-promise-I'll-be-right-back!" Claus yelled hurriedly, abruptly dashing off into the opposite direction.

"Wait, Claus-" Lucas started, but his twin had already disappeared. "...nevermind," Lucas muttered.

The dead silence was frightening, sending shivers down Lucas's spine. His sneakers squeaked rather loudly against the faded tiles, and the dark, gaping ceiling loomed over his tiny sixth grade form. Overhead, light fixtures flickered uneasily, sending too tall shadows shifting and dancing around his feet, and the empty windows leered unpleasantly as his reflection passed by.

Never had Lucas felt so small and so alone. As Lucas plodded down towards the empty hallway in rising anxiety, careful eyes darting back and forth for any sign of sudden movement, he gripped his arm cast tightly to his chest.

"Come on, Claus," he muttered, picking at the holes in his rather bothersome cast. It was clean and devoid of any marks, save for Claus's signature. The warm, green ink glowed faintly in the dark, and despite his trepidation, Lucas felt his breath ease slightly in comfort.

Not too long afterwards, footsteps sounded behind him. "Claus," Lucas said in relief, turning his head. "Did you find your-"

Lucas froze, recognizing the pair of boys in front of him.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here!" Pokey guffawed sarcastically, pointing a meaty arm in Lucas's direction. "If it isn't the school's _Singing Sensation_!"

Lucas's breath leaped into his throat. He tried to back away, but collided back first into the wall; he was trapped.

"Oh man, you're right!" Orange Kid leered unpleasantly, wiping his scrawny hands onto his shirt. His pockets jingled merrily with coins he had scammed off from other fellow sixth graders. Orange Kid was well-known for stealing lunch money off some poor, unsuspecting student, and often offered to trade wondrous "inventions" in return that usually ended up doing more harm than good. However, no one had ever dared to snitch on him; his father was a wealthy politician whom many parents - including the school administration - were unwilling to cross.

Lucas was screwed.

Something hard bounced off his head, jolting him back into awareness.

"Hey, dummy, pay attention! We're talking to you!" Orange Kid called out in a nasty, nasally voice, tossing another orange back and forth with his hands. Winding his arm back like a coiled spring, Orange Kid began to pelt him with his namesake fruits. Scrunching his eyes closed against the rotten fruit, Lucas stood silently, receiving the blows to his pride.

_Splat. "_Girl!"

_Splat. _"Crybaby!"

_Splat. "_Gay freak!_"_

Emphasizing each rotten orange with a degrading word, the duo howled out in barking laughter, amusing themselves in playing this inhumane game.

The sickly-sweet, overripe juice splattered against Lucas's shirt in a gooey mess, dripping off his face and oozing onto his skin in sticky clumps of wet pulp. As the two boys took savage enjoyment of his obvious discomfort, the poor blond quietly tried to wipe the orange stains from his shirt in burning humiliation, blinking away the tears that had sprung into his eyes.

But his tormentors weren't quite finished yet. Orange Kid paused, his eyes roaming over the arm cast Lucas was hiding protectively behind his back. First disbelief, then savage glee filled his features. "Hey, look!" The rich boy shrieked shrilly, jabbing out his thumb. "He's got an arm cast!"

Pokey's eyes traveled to his injured appendage. "You have an arm cast?!" he blurted out, his expression of sheer disbelief quickly transforming to a derisive scoff. "How gay is that?"

Cheeks burning in shame, Lucas tried to hide it behind his back, but Pokey swatted his hand away and roughly dragged him closer by his injured arm.

"Let me go!"

Ignoring Lucas's cries of pain, Pokey yanked the broken arm level to his sneering gaze. "Aww, dude, he's such a gay freak that his brother's the only one who signed his cast!"

"What a loser!"

"Well then, I wanna sign it too." Pokey's smirk widened savagely. "You don't mind if do, don't you, dipshit? I mean, I should take credit for my own work," he added with a leer.

Swaggering over Lucas's frightened form, Pokey's eyes flickered over to his partner in crime. "Hold him down."

Struggling, Lucas opened his mouth to protest, but Orange Kid had already pinned him onto the ground, one knee painfully digging into his back and pulling back his unbroken arm. Lucas yelled out in pain, feeling his arm flare up from unwanted strain.

"Hey, loser, why don't you sing us a pretty little song while we're at it?" Orange Kid puckered up his lips, then warbled a tune off-key in cheap falsetto. Pokey guffawed loudly, wrenching Lucas's arm cast over with little care. As the bigger boy viciously yanked at his cast, Lucas could feel his collar bone twisting into an unnatural angle.

"Stop it! Please, it hurts!" Lucas shrieked, desperately trying to loosen his arm from Pokey's grip. But Pokey roughly slammed the cast back onto the floor with an elbow, his other hand busily fumbling for the Sharpie in his pocket. The lid shot loose with a loud _pop. _Uncapping the tip, Pokey paused, thoughtfully tapping the pen to the tip of his voluminous chin.

"Oh man, I can't decide what to write. Hey, Blondie, d'you prefer 'crybaby,' or 'gay freak'?"

"Write down both!" Orange Kid cackled, still restraining the poor boy onto the ground. He pointed in disgust. "See? He's crying again!"

There was a minor scuffle as Pokey viciously seized Lucas's hair by the roots, then shoved his face into the tiled floor.

"Wha'ssamatter, crybaby? You scared?" Pokey hissed venomously. His mocking voice slowly devolved into a cruel, savage chant. "_Cry, cry, cry!_"

Despite his best efforts, hot tears ran freely from Lucas's eyes, pooling onto the floor. "Don't," he choked, slumping against the ground. "Please, I'm sorry..."

Both of them shrieked in laughter. The cacophonous sync grated unpleasantly on Lucas's ears.

"Listen to the gay freak beg!" Orange Kid gasped, feeling tickled with glee. "This is priceless!"

Pokey's eyes lit up savagely. "Let's start with that one first," he laughed, setting the tip of the permanent marker onto the cast. "Gay fr-"

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"

The scream jolted them out of their senses. Suddenly, all heads snapped towards the source in shock.

Claus's face was a blotchy purple, icy eyes blazing in unimaginable fury. Ninten and Ness flanked his side, looking positively horrified at the scene in front of them.

Immediately the two troublemakers hastily stumbled backwards.

Ness's eyes were wide in shock. "Pokey, you...!"

Fumbling with the cap of the black Sharpie, Pokey quickly stuffed it back into his pocket. "Ness, keep your fat nose out of this," he spat. "This isn't what it looks like-"

Ness's face immediately hardened. "You've got the nerve to bully someone two to one," he ground out, violet eyes flashing dangerously. "Let him go, Pokey."

Pokey's features knitted together into an ugly sneer. "Why should I listen to _you_? _You're_ a bigger freak than _he _is," Pokey emphasized cruelly, kicking Lucas with a swift blow to the ribs. The younger blond let out a gurgled gasp of pain, and Orange Kid let out another high-pitched cackle.

That was the final straw. "YOU BROKE HIS ARM, DIDN'T YOU?" Claus screamed, running forward and grabbing Orange Kid by the scruff of his shirt. "YOU COWARDLY ASSHOLES!"

"It wasn't me, it was him!" Orange Kid shrieked, paling rapidly. "Oh gods, I didn't do anything, I swear! Please don't hurt me-"

"MAYBE YOU SHOULD'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT _BEFORE_ YOU BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF MY BROTHER!" Claus snarled, clenching his tightened fist.

Pokey was many things, but he wasn't stupid. "Holy shit, I'm outta here!" he spat hastily, backing away to flee.

"OH, NO YOU DON'T!" Ness suddenly roared, chasing after him in hot pursuit. "WE'RE NOT FINISHED YET, POKEY!"

"Ness, wait! CALM DOOOOOWN!" Ninten yelped, running frantically at his heels. The three of them rounded the corner and disappeared out of sight.

Back in the empty hallway, Orange Kid struggled pathetically in Claus's iron-grip. "M-My father's rich," he stammered, eyes bulging in terror. "You wouldn't dare-"

"SCREW YOU AND YOUR MONEY!"

"I'll sue you!" Orange Kid shrieked in desperation.

"Oh, yeah?" Claus laughed darkly. "My family's dirt poor, and my life's already shit, so you can't make my life shittier than it is, dumbass!" Claus readied himself to punch this sorry excuse of a bully into pulp. "WHY, YOU THINK I'M JOKING?!" Claus screamed furiously. "GO AHEAD, I DARE YOU! SUE ME, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF-"

Claus froze when someone stopped his fist in mid-air. Snarling, he turned around to scream his fury at whoever had dared to stop his angry tirade. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?!"

Almost immediately, Claus blanched, rearing back as he came face-to-face with his own brother.

"Claus, don't do this," Lucas pleaded quietly. Sticky orange pulp matting his shirt and hair in a disheveled mess, the blond weakly cradled his cast to his chest. "You're not like them."

Claus only stared back, torn in a mix of wild fury and shock. In his grip, Orange Kid whimpered piteously, looking as though he was about to wet his pants in fear. But after an eternity of hesitation, Claus reluctantly released his grip, lowering the terrified boy down.

"You're lucky that my brother's nice to everyone, even to assholes like you," Claus snarled.

Not that Orange Kid was even listening. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the bully instantly scrambled away for dear life, completely terrified out of his own wits.

Claus stared at his retreating form with a look of disgust. "…I should've punched him in the face. Just once."

"You did the right thing," Lucas said softly.

Not too long later, Ness and Ninten returned to the scene of crime.

"I can't believe it was Pokey," Ness finally spoke, crossing his arms to hide his shaking palms. His voice cracked, sounding unusually strained. "Lucas, I can't believe that he's been bullying you all this time..."

Claus scowled, turning around to face the wall. "If he messes with us again...I'll...I'll…I can't forgive him," he managed to say, hot anger boiling through his veins. "Pokey's dead meat."

"Forget about Pokey. Like, holy crap, Lucas," Ninten broke out, weakly rubbing at his eyes. "Why did you hide this from us?"

Flushing in shame, Lucas stared at his shoes, refusing to meet their eyes. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Claus reached for his cast in concern. "Did they hurt you?"

Backing away, Lucas laughed weakly. "Claus, I'm fine-"

But that was when Claus had caught the hem of Lucas's cast and turned it over. Glistening maliciously, thick, black ink branded the plaster in large, bolded letters.

**GAY**

Shock, then disbelief, then raw anger flitted across Claus's features. Simmering fury exploded once more, and Claus burst out, "Those no-good little-"

"Claus, stop," Lucas said quickly, trying to hide the cast in vain. "It's only one word-"

"What does it say?" Ness asked, frowning in concern.

Before Lucas could say anything, Ninten carefully reached for the cast and exposed the gleaming plaster into the light. As Ninten stared blankly at the filthy letters adorning the cast, Lucas felt his scrutinizing gaze sear his arm with disgust.

Timidly, Lucas shrank back in humiliation.

But Ninten said nothing, only opting to unzip his pencil bag with a free arm. Sliding out a purple marker, the Podunk boy hastily scribbled something onto the arm cast.

"There," Ninten finished cheerfully, pushing the corrected cast back towards its owner. He sounded satisfied. "Now _that_ sounds way cooler."

Lucas turned the cast over.

**HOOR ****̶** **̶****G****̶** **̶** **̶****AY**

Ness snorted in laughter.

"Ninten!" Watching his brother's unreadable expression, Claus panicked. "You idiot! Now look what you've done!" he snapped, glaring at Ninten's laughing face. "I can't believe you wrote something even more stupid than-"

"You're right, Ninten. It does sound cooler," Lucas spoke suddenly, staring at the arm cast with a strange expression on his face. "…Thanks."

Ninten grinned, flashing him two thumbs up. "You bet."

"Are you serious, Lucas?" Ness rambled in disbelief. He rushed over, almost falling head over heels in his haste. "I can totally write something way more legit than _Hooray_."

Ninten raised his eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

"No kidding! Hey, Lucas, can I write on your cast?"

Unable to speak from the emotion clogging his throat, Lucas nodded.

"Sweet! Thanks!" Ness said brightly, furiously scribbling several well-wishes onto the plaster.

"Claus, write something!" Ninten exclaimed, pushing a handful of colorful pens into the ginger's face.

"I already-" Claus hesitated. "Oh, all right," he grumbled, selecting an orange highlighter. "I'm only doing this 'cause you guys write sucky phrases."

"There's no time to waste, Claus!" Ninten announced gleefully. He flicked the bill of his hat up in playful determination. "We need to hog up as much space as we can before class starts, 'cause I bet everyone'll want to sign Lucas's cast!"

As Lucas watched his posse of odd friends grumble, bicker, and spout silly, stupid things to each other, warm gratitude seeped into his throat. He was lucky to have the bestest of best friends in the world.

And nothing was ever going to change that.

* * *

**Present****:**

**_Clickity-clackity-clickity-clackity-_**

The legs of the coffee table clapped against the rocky strata. In a one fluid motion, it had scaled down cliffs and galloped across the uneven mountain slopes.

None of its riders paid attention to the noise of travel.

Sprawled unconscious in the middle of the table, Ninten murmured feverish statements under his breath. There was the occasional cry for water, broken only by long periods of stretched silence.

At the very edge, Ness sat with his back turned. He stared into the horizon with a far-away gaze, even though the lofty mountainsides had long covered the city from view. A certain wistfulness entered his glazed eyes.

And of course, there was Claus. Never still, his icy blue eyes flickered over his blurred surroundings, darted over frozen rocks and the gurgling streams, then like a magnet, gravitated over to his brother in a look of deep concern.

Sensing his prickling stare, Lucas lifted his head to meet his brother's gaze.

Claus averted his eyes.

Feeling both relieved and disappointed, Lucas resumed watching the clouds float overhead.

Lucas knew that he owed them all an explanations. What happened back in the research facility. Where they were headed. How he knew the Mr. Saturn. Lucas could sense Claus's unspoken thoughts simmering in the air around him, compressing around his head like a silent accusation.

_What else are you hiding from us, Lucas?_

Half of the problem was that Lucas had never been much of a talker. He often left that role to Claus, only stepping in to speak when necessary.

Then there were the hallucinations.

Contrary to what Ness and Claus had believed, Lucas was beginning to remember bits and pieces of his drug-induced state. Faded memories slowly trickled in with clarity, and each fresh recollection weighed shame and more shame upon his weather-beaten form.

Eyeing his hands in self-disgust as though they were horribly diseased, Lucas resisted the urge to dig his nails into his skin.

_Lucas._ The blond flinched as his brother's telepathic voice spoke in his head. _Is something wrong?_

As usual, his brother was two steps ahead, easily recognizing his younger sibling's discomfort. Claus's voice sounded oddly concerned.

Claus would do anything for him.

Lucas didn't understand. He'd attacked his brother. Family didn't _attack_ each other. With words, sometimes. With heated feelings, yes. But Lucas couldn't recall a time when Claus had hit him, or vice versa.

How could Claus care for someone like him?

He didn't deserve a brother like Claus.

"Lucas, are you feeling woozy?"

In shame, Lucas lowered his eyes, unable to meet his brother's gaze. Feeling like he was going to throw up if he opened his mouth, Lucas clamped down and wordlessly shook his head.

"Your face looks green." Claus reached out a hand to test his clammy skin, and startled by the sudden gesture, Lucas jerked his head up, narrowly missing his brother's face by inches.

Awful whispers flashed through his mind.

_"I died. You knew I was going to die, but you never bothered to tell me, did you?"_

Lucas flinched away from his touch.

"Lucas, what's wrong?! Did I do something?" Claus asked, sounding incredibly hurt. "You haven't said a word since this morning, and it's starting to freak me out!"

The panic was obvious in Claus's voice. Lucas felt horribly guilty. "I...I-I'm..."

_I'm fine._

But everything wasn't fine. Everything wasn't fine, and Lucas couldn't bear the guilt of lying to his brother any longer. "I don't understand," he said quietly. "Why aren't you mad at me?"

Claus jolted up in surprise. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"I remember what happened."

Claus's face blanched a sickly gray. Eyes darting around, Claus let out a feeble laugh. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Lucas's eyes trailed off into the mountainsides.

Claus turned quiet. "What do you remember?"

"Not everything...but enough to understand what happened." Lucas scrunched his eyes shut. "I attacked you," he said quietly. "I said _things_...things that were personal to Ninten, to Ness...to you."

"It wasn't that bad," Claus said loudly, trying to reassure him. "We were a little, uh, worried about you, but Lucas, no one really gave a fuck-"

"You don't have to lie, Claus." Lucas picked at his fingernails. "Every time I try to help, I mess everything up. Something always goes wrong. I wonder why I bother trying sometimes...and I'm sorry, Claus. I really am."

Claus fell silent. Taking a glance at Ness, who still seemed zoned out, Claus lowered his voice into a murmur.

"Lucas," he said quietly. "Whatever happened back in the facility isn't your fault." Claus's eyes held onto his with an unusual gravity. "You know why?"

Feeling so much like a small child, Lucas shook his head.

"We found you with Ninten," Claus broke out. His face looked weary. "Sure, you were high and that made you do all sorts wonky stuff, but you managed to keep yourselves safe. Like, seriously, Lucas, I know you make me out to be all strong and stuff-"

"It's true," Lucas mumbled.

"But honestly, it's all a lie if you ask me," Claus said, ignoring him. "You're patient. You're thoughtful. I know I might not listen to you all the time, but you're always there to stop me from doing something stupid."

"You'd do the same for me."

"That's not what I mean, Lucas. It's not easy to do the right thing. That takes true guts. Heck, like, true _man_-guts. So stop calling yourself a useless crybaby, because you're not." Claus's eyes softened. "If anyone has to apologize, it's me. If I hadn't been stupid enough to get a detention, we would've been safe at home. But _no_, I just had to open my big, fat mouth in class, and look where we are now. Score." Claus gave a bitter laugh. "Forgive your hasty brother."

"Claus, it wasn't your fault. It was mine-"

"Oh my god, Lucas, if you finish that finish that sentence I swear I'm gonna push you off this coffee table, twin or not."

Lucas's lips quirked into a smile. "Fine, I won't. Let's say no one was at fault."

"You're darn right. It was no one's fault," Claus laughed, looking surprisingly gentle. Under the wavy stream of sunlight, his sarcastic features softened, and for a brief moment, he looked so much like his younger brother.

"...Claus?"

"What?"

Lucas fixed his pale eyes onto his. "We're going to pull through this together...right?"

"Together," Claus agreed.

Lucas's voice sounded small. "I hope so."

Claus rolled his eyes. "Lucas, it'll be _fine,_" he smirked, bopping Lucas on the nose. "Worrywart."

"Maybe I'm being silly...but it's just this bad feeling I have..."

All laughter gone, Claus frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lucas didn't elaborate. "I'm serious, Claus. If something dangerous ever happens, don't worry about me, and save yourself. Promise me."

"But-"

"Promise me."

"You can't be serious," Claus said, sounding exasperated, but Lucas's stern look didn't waver.

"Trust me, Claus. Trust me to hold my own weight," Lucas said quietly. He rubbed his arms, then took a shaky breath. "I'm not saying that you can't help me, but I need to learn how to stand up for myself. Without you, without Ness, without Ninten. I want to be strong, and I want to prove it to myself. It's not going to be easy, Claus, but can you do that...for me?"

Taken aback by the serious request, Claus stared at him in disbelief. Like _hell_ Claus was going to leave his little brother to his own devices.

But Lucas looked so hopeful that Claus didn't have the heart to turn him down.

"All right," Claus lied. Remembering the oath he had sworn with Ness, Claus felt his guilt dig deeper into his heart. "I'll just do stuff and...whatever," he mumbled.

To his surprise, Lucas threw his arms tightly around his neck.

"Thanks, Claus," he whispered. When Lucas pulled away, Claus realized that his brother's wide eyes were shining with gratitude. "You don't know how much your trust means to me."

_Oh, shit._ Claus winced, restraining himself not to stand up right now, raise his palm, and confess everything. "Uh, yeah, that's great."

Forcing himself to sound grumpy, Claus coughed. Loudly.

"Lucas, can you, you know, get your arms off my neck?" he grunted. "Forget about me not dying. You're starting to choke me here."

As Claus had predicted, Lucas turned red-faced, then quickly released his grip. "O-Oh, right."

Claus smirked. "You're such a treehugger."

That retort earned him a smack on the arm, and Claus cackled with glee.

Lucas made a face. "You're so immature."

"I'm the most immature prick in the society of immature pricks," Claus agreed. "And you can't ever change tha-" His face suddenly morphed into a look of utmost horror. "HOLY SHIT!" he shrieked, jabbing a finger into the air. "IS THAT A METEOR?"

Ness's head snapped over in their direction. "What's going-WOAH!" Ness shouted in shock, then gestured to the side. "LUCAS!" he screeched. "HARD RIGHT, HARD RIGHT!"

Fear stabbing through his veins, Lucas yanked the head of the coffee table. Like a horse, the table responded, its feet clopping faster in an uneven tempo.

"Oh shit, Oh shit, OH SHIT!"

"It's gonna hit us!"

They screamed. Ninten, who was still knocked out, was the only one blissfully unaware of their impending doom.

The meteor of light missed their faces by a mere meter before flattening itself to the side of the mountain with a loud** _KA-BLAAAAM!_**

The resulting crash clashed in their ears like a giant's handclap. As the meteor fiercely exploded into a huge, smoking crater of blinding light, violent tremors racked through the land in roiling waves. Terrified forest animals broke out into a cacophonic symphony of squeaks as they fled the scene of collision.

Jarred from the impact, all four teens stumbled off the coffee table. Another vibration shook the earth, and they fell flat onto their faces.

Lucas shakily pushed himself up to his feet. "Is everyone all right?"

"Yeah," Claus managed, hoisting Ninten onto his back. "But I repeat, what the hell was _that?"_

As one, their eyes flickered to the smoking crater.

"Let's find out," Ness said, swinging his legs over a tree trunk. He crept into the steamy gloom.

Magical mist curled around their toes.

As they wandered closer to the point of impact, Ness felt the hairs on his arms stiffen. A massive aftershock of energy echoed through his body in weak waves, causing his PSI to fizzle and spark on its own accord.

Lucas's hand accidentally brushed against his brother's.

Claus flinched.

"Sorry," Lucas muttered, recoiling from stinging static electricity.

A strange, disembodied voice croaked into their ears. "This is Commander Nu signing in. Please respond. Over and out. Ten-four, landing successful. I repeat, this is Commander Nu signing in, Commander Nu signing in."

"D-Do you guys see anyone?" Ness coughed, waving the smoke from his eyes.

Through watery eyes, Claus was about to respond negative until a flicker of motion caught his eye.

He blinked. "Okay, I think I'm dreaming," Claus said before pinching himself in the arm.

It hurt like heck.

And it also did nothing to disprove the talking speck of light furiously bobbing up and down in his face.

"Copy that, Alpha," The fairy-man(?) announced in an authoritative voice. "We might've overshot the targeted time thanks to your massive power surge, but no sweat. We have t Minus 45 seconds before communication is permanently disrupted."

A pause.

"Unforeseeable complications with the worm hole? What the hell do you mean that there were unforeseeable complications with the worm hole?"

Another pause.

"I'VE BEEN SHRUNK TO THE SIZE OF A BEE?!" the speck shrieked. "You had one job, Lambda, ONE JOB! I told you to rip open space-time, and you shrunk me to the size of a bee?!"

And yet another pause. "Hardy har, very _punny_, Theta," Fairy-man said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes in irritation. "Geezus, if you make fun of my buzzcut again, you'd better hope to god that disintegration kills you first, because forget about the theory of quantum mechanics - I'm going to tear open the worm hole _and throttle you with my bare hands!_"

They heard howling laughter on the other side of the phone.

"You're all fired," the figure said flatly, then the line died with a beep.

As if noticing his uninvited guests, Fairy-man cocked his eyebrows. "I know you're hiding!" he snapped, glaring at the three stunned teens. "And if you even think about blasting me to smithereens, you can kiss your sorry arses goodbye!"

"You don't work for Giygas, do you?" Lucas asked hesitantly.

The mysterious stranger grunted. Through the empathy link, they felt his simmering annoyance flicker slightly. "Lucas. Do I _sound _like I work for Giygas?"

Lucas blinked in surprise. "You know my name?"

"I know all of your names. The guy next to you is Claus, your dorky twin brother; that's Ness, baseball extraordinaire...and then you have Mr. _I'm-knocked-out-as-fuck _Ninten." Fairy-man furrowed his eyebrows. "Give me a break - he's knocked out again?"

"Don't insult him!" Ness clenched his fists. "W-Who are you? And how do you know our names?"

"That's not important right now."

"Why not?" Claus asked suspiciously.

"Because if you don't step forward in the next ten seconds, you'll be flattened by falling debris."

They hastily hurried forward, dragging Ninten's limp form with them. As if on cue, a tree, weakened from the collision of the meteor, smashed right where they had been standing only seconds prior.

"H-How?" Ness managed to say, staring at the flattened trunk in disbelief.

Fairy-man grunted. "Trust me, you don't know half the things I've gone through, Ness." A moment of hesitation. "Call me Buzz-Buzz," the figure sighed. "Local time traveler, Commander of the Resistance, and full-time smartass at your service."

Claus pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't get it...why are you even _here_? As soon as we're in a tight spot, BAM, here's help." Not buying the explanation, Claus narrowed his eyes. "Who _are_ you?"

"I'm your fairy god-mother," BuzzBuzz deadpanned.

"Like we'd believe you!"

BuzzBuzz shook his head. "Fuck, was I this whiny when I was your age?"

"Excuse me if I want an explanation!" Claus snapped. "You, I don't know...nearly smashed in our faces with a meteorite two seconds ago?!"

"Sure, whatever you say," BuzzBuzz said, clearly not paying attention to anything Claus had said. He scrolled through his watch. "Ah, fuck. We'd better scram. Starmen will be on our trail any minute."

Claus looked like he wanted to argue, but Lucas hurriedly stepped on his foot. "Sounds good," he said quickly, clambering back onto the Mr. Saturn Coffee Table. In mere seconds, they departed, galloping over the horizon with a sound of echoing wood.

BuzzBuzz studied the symbols etched onto the table. "You guys heading to...Saturn Valley?"

Ness narrowed his eyes. "We're not saying anything until you tell us what's going on."

"You're kidding me!"

The three teens glared at him.

"I guess you're right. It'd be stupid to think otherwise." BuzzBuzz stared into the sky. The sunlight dramatically etched shadows onto his tiny face. "I came from ten years in the future to fight for an ultimate cause. My mission?"

His face turned haggard.

"To stop Giygas from destroying Planet Earth."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

After almost meeting his demise by meteorite and receiving free life insurance from a buff fairy-man, Ness thought he had seen enough of the strange-and-totally-weird for one day.

He was most unfortunately wrong.

"Who are _they_?" Ness gaped, watching the two-footed, big-nosed…_things…_walk around in their equally strange-looking village.

Clambering off the coffee table, BuzzBuzz capped his laser holster. "That is a Mr. Saturn, resident of Saturn Valley," he said bluntly. "Saturn Valley is one of the safest sanctuaries on Earth. The concavity and configuration of the land deflects any radio waves, hereby rendering this place nonexistent to the human eye."

The teens stared at him stupidly.

BuzzBuzz sighed. "We're undetectable."

"Show off," Claus said.

BuzzBuzz frowned. "I've forgotten how annoying you could get."

Claus snorted. "Why? Am I still an asshole in the future?"

Surprisingly, BuzzBuzz declined comment. "Oh, look," the speck said sullenly, directing their attention to the village inhabitants. "They've noticed us."

"Are they dangerous?" Ness asked.

"Dangerous?" BuzzBuzz snorted. "They're as harmless as you can get." He jerked his head towards Lucas. "Ask him."

The younger twin averted his eyes. "Yeah," Lucas mumbled. "He's right."

"Lucas..." Claus's eyes flitted back and forth between them. "You still haven't told us how you met the Mr. Saturn-"

"**ᖴᖇIᕮᑎᗪ ᒪᑌᑕᗩᔕ ᕼᕮᖇᕮ! ᗷOIᑎG!"**

They looked down. A Mr. Saturn peered up happily, bouncing on its toes. **"ᗪᗩKOTᗩ."**

"It's nice to see you too," Lucas greeted kindly; the Mr. Saturn's happiness was infectious. _I'll tell you later,_ the blond mouthed to his disgruntled brother.

The Mr. Saturn noticed the other people standing around him. Suddenly, it broke out into a loud, excited scream.

**"ᖴᖇIᕮᑎᗪ ᒪᑌᑕᗩᔕ ᗷᖇIᑎG ᖴᖇIᕮᑎᗪᔕ!"**

As if on cue, the Mr. Saturns dropped what they were doing, and instantly charged over to their visitors in a giant, joyful crowd of big noses and stubby feet.

**"****ᖴᖇIᕮᑎᗪᔕ!****"**

"Oh my go-" Claus managed to say before they were completely swarmed over by their newest fans.

"Acckpth- That tickles!" Ness laughed, feeling one climbing on top of his hair.

**"ᔕᗰᕮᒪᒪ ᖴᑌᑎᑎY." **A sniff. **"ᑭᕮᕮ-ᑌ. ᕼOT ᔕᑭᖇIᑎG?"**

"Maybe later," Lucas said, struggling to drag himself out of the pile of Mr. Saturns. "One of my friends needs medical treatment-"

**"ᗩᗰ ᗪOᑕTOᖇ ᔕᗩTᑌᖇᑎ," **One clamored, drawing himself up proudly. He peered over them importantly. **"ᑎO ᗯOᖇᖇY. GO TO ᕼOT ᔕᑭᖇIᑎG."**

"But-"

"Go to the hot spring," BuzzBuzz interrupted, finally drawing himself out of a serious conversation with another Mr. Saturn. Somehow, he had managed to avoid being run over by the over-excited stampede.

"But Ninten needs PK Healing-" Ness said weakly, struggling to his feet.

"That's not a problem. I know PSI. I'll keep an eye out for him in the village." BuzzBuzz sighed. "By the way, you three should get going. The Mr. Saturn consider rejection a serious offense to the quality of their hospitality."

Claus narrowed his eyes. "I don't trust you."

"Good, you're not supposed to," BuzzBuzz said flatly. "Look, the hot springs are literally up _there_," he said in exasperation, jabbing a finger up at the ladders. "If anything funny happens, you'll be on higher ground."

"So?"

"Haven't you ever studied war, Claus?" BuzzBuzz snapped. "Not that I am, but say that I really was a traitor sent to infiltrate your side. Do you honestly think I'd do my dirty business in a tactically disadvantageous location?"

Claus hesitated. Immediately, his gaze flickered over to consult his uncertain comrades.

_What should we do? _Claus asked._ I don't want to leave Ninten alone with some random weirdo._

_Neither do I, _Ness said grimly. _BuzzBuzz clearly knows more than lets on._

_But the Mr. Saturns trust him. _Lucas glanced over the group of Mr. Saturn, who were playfully stacking themselves into a ladder. _That's gotta mean something, right?_

_Lucas, as much as you like the Mr. Saturn, you need to remember that they're not human. They might not think in the same way we do_, Claus argued._ What makes you think that they'll stop __BuzzBuzz __if he, I don't know, ends up double-crossing us?_

_But we shouldn't risk offending the Mr. Saturn. If they get mad, we'll be badly outnumbered, _Lucas pointed out.

_What, mad? The Mr. Saturn? _Claus snorted. _If you mean mad, like loony, then you've got a point, but face it, Lucas: these things look completely harmless._

_But we don't know for sure, _Ness finally broke in. He hesitated. _Claus, we have our telepathy. The Hot Springs are right above the village. If anything happens, we'll definitely know for sure. And worst-case scenario, we can overpower BuzzBuzz._

_We'll check on Ninten as soon as we return, _Lucas added firmly.

With a reluctant sigh, Claus cut himself from the mental conversation. "Fine," he grumbled.

BuzzBuzz nodded. "About time. You guys go rest." He wrinkled his nose. "I mean it. You do need a good bath or two."

"Shut up," Claus muttered, ears coloring a bright red.

**"ᕼOT ᔕᑭᖇIᑎG?"**

Lucas quietly voiced their agreement.

**"TᕼIᔕ ᗯᗩY, TᕼIᔕ ᗯᗩY!"**

As they reluctantly allowed themselves to be led away, a horde of Mr. Saturns carried Ninten out of sight.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ness considered himself sloppy in terms of hygiene. He was the kind of person who'd dress in an old, scraggly t-shirt and pair of sweaty, yesterday's jeans off the floor.

But in the name of all things holy, the Hot Spring was a godsend.

Considering what they had been through, it wasn't difficult for Ness to imagine why.

A week's worth of wet mud and machine oil squelched unpleasantly between their toes. Dried sweat and grime littered their foreheads, armpits, and other unmentionable places in a film of slimy, greasy filth. To add to the queasiness, all of them had been wearing the same, squalid clothes since Day One of their escapade.

Including their undergarments.

So it was with an overwhelming sensation of relief when Ness stripped off his clothes and settled into the hot spring. Lucas and Claus followed shortly after, and the three of them immediately went to work, furiously scrubbing off the grime from their skin. The hot, steamy water soothed their stiff, aching muscles and washed away the kinks in their shoulders.

A Mr. Saturn hurried over, then balanced the dirty piles of clothes on its head. **"ᑕᒪᕮᗩᑎ ᗩᑎᗪ ᖇᕮTᑌᖇᑎ. ᗰᗩKᕮ ᔕᕼIᑎY."**

Lucas started. "Oh, you don't have to-"

The Mr. Saturn was gone. Such were their gracious hosts.

On another time, Ness was sure that all of them might have been embarrassed by the awkward proceedings, but at this point, none of them cared. They were all worn out and half-dead on their feet. BuzzBuzz had been right; a relaxing bath was the best idea they had conceived by far. The only damper was Ninten's absence, but they had high hopes for his recovery. The Mr. Saturn seemed to know what they were doing.

At least, Ness thought so. From the bird's eye view, Saturn Valley seemed to be cluttered with devices and technological advances that would make Jeff scream like a fangirl.

In fact, as soon as the Mr. Saturn ushered them into a vacated dwelling for their stay, Ness found himself face-to-face with a _very_ familiar device.

"I asked for a phone," Claus clarified, drying the water off his face with a towel. "It's been a while since we've talked to our parents."

Something sounded slightly off in Claus's casual tone - it sounded almost _careful._

Ness wasn't fooled. "What's the catch?"

Lucas traced the antique, old-fashioned black dial phone with his blue eyes. "The wireless system's down for maintenance. The Mr. Saturn gave us this back-up, but because it's so old, it can only handle one call."

They glanced at each other.

Lucas nodded. "Ness, you should call your mom. She's probably worried about you."

"No," Ness responded stubbornly. "What about you guys?"

Lucas and Claus shared one of those "twin telepathy" glances. "Our dad can wait," Lucas sighed, running his hand through his messy hair. "He's been through worse before."

"And don't worry about Ninten," Claus added. "You said his parents know about PSI. They'll understand."

"But-"

"Call her," Claus cut him off, eying him with a look - Ness could almost see the memory of last night running through his brain. "You need this more than we do. We'll catch you later."

Almost shoving the phone into his hands, Claus quickly dragged Lucas off before any of them could change their minds. Ness could tell how much the twins had wanted to call Flint, but as much as he hated to admit it, they were right: his homesickness was only going to hold them all back.

As Ness fiddled with the black, spiral phone cord, he wondered who to call.

Of course, the first person who obviously came into mind was his mother. It wasn't for a good reason that Tracy always teased him for being "a momma's boy," and by the gods, Ness desperately missed speaking to her so much that it hurt.

But on the other hand, Ness knew how easily she'd freak out over his safety, and he had never been the best liar to date. Heck, he didn't even know how to start the conversation.

_Hi mom! My Calculus teacher went all psycho on us, so we're stranded in the middle of nowhere. He might show up hollering bloody murder, but don't worry, I can shoot fire from my toenails! Call you later!_

Yep, not a good idea.

And if his mother tried to find him after he had told her the truth...Ness winced. He had a feeling that this journey was far from over, and that it was only going to get worse from here. The last thing Ness wanted to do was pull his family into mortal peril.

Conflicted, Ness bit his lip, glancing every now and then at the phone sitting idly on the bench. Finally, he made up his mind, and silently dialed the number.

**_Ring._**

**_Ring._**

_**Click.** _"Hello, this is Onett Enterprises, how may I help you?"

"Hey, dad."

A stunned pause. "Nessie? Is that you, champ?!"

"Yeah." For some reason, Ness felt his throat constrict. He blinked rapidly, struggling not to cry. "It's me."

Stunned silence, then a loud clatter as his father dropped the smart phone in shock. However, there was a crackle as the device was scooped up, then Ness's ears were bombarded with his father's worried questions.

Was he kidnapped? Was he hurt? Was he alone?

"Everything's fine, dad," Ness said thickly, trying not to break down. He had to be brave for his parents; his father had enough on his plate without worrying about Ness's own safety. "Lots of stuff happened, but yeah, I'm okay."

"Are you _sure_ everything's okay?" A hasty rustle of a coat. "Jumping jeepers, Nessie, tell me where you are, and I'll pick you up-"

"Dad, it's okay. Really. I can't return to the city right now, but-"

"YOU'RE NOT IN THE CITY?!"

Oops.

"Like I said, stuff happened," Ness broke in with a sigh. "Dad, I'm okay. Trust me. I swear I'll tell you everything later."

His father paused. "I see. A man's got to do what a man's got to do, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Well, okay..." his father cleared his throat awkwardly. "I dunno how much it'll help, but I'll put some money into your bank account. You have your ATM card with you, right?"

Ness laughed quietly. He doubted an ATM card would help him where he was going, but Ness didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. "Yeah."

"Call home whenever you want - uh right, you left your cell at home...Well, try to call whenever you can."

"'kay." Ness felt like his eyes were stinging like sandpaper with every second that passed.

"...And champ?"

"...Yeah?"

"You work real hard, Nessie. Just like your mother. Sometimes, I think you work too hard for your own good," his father said quietly. "But you gotta take it easy. I don't know what's going on, but I'm gonna trust your word on this, man-to-man. Okay? I'm gonna trust you on this, champ."

"Thanks, dad." Gods, now Ness's own voice was _cracking-_

"Stay safe, Nessie. Your mom and I...whatever happens, just know that we're proud of you, okay?"

The dam finally broke.

To his eternal embarrassment, Ness broke down and started crying awful, rib-racking sobs. Horrified by his reaction, Ness tried to calm himself, but only ended up crying harder. "Dad," he choked, feeling as if he were eleven again. "I-I'm scared, but I can't show that to m' friends, because they're obviously scared too, and I'd look weak and stupid if I'm the only one who breaks down again...a-and..."

Ness wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Dad, I want to go home," he said plaintively like a very small child.

"Champ, it's okay," His father interrupted in a firm, yet gentle voice. "Tell me everything from the beginning."

So Ness did. He told him everything.

He told him about his supernatural powers.

He told him about what had happened to the other psychic teens.

He told him about how Giygas had almost killed him and his friends.

Ness talked and talked until his throat grew raw and hoarse. When he finally finished his tale, the phone crackled into silence. "That's... _something,_ Nessie," his father admitted. "I don't know what to make of this PSI, champ. Psychic powers? It's just..." A pause. "It's a lot to take in."

Ness felt his stomach sink. He hadn't ever thought that his father might not believe him. Internally cursing himself, Ness swallowed hard. "...I see."

His father spoke in a firmer voice. "Listen, Nessie. I trust you. I'm lending the reins to you now. You're a responsible young man. You can get the others back safely. I know you can."

His tight heart swelled up. "Thanks, dad," Ness mumbled.

"That's my boy. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, right? A man's gotta do what a man's g-gotta do..."

The teen thought his father's voice cracked slightly, but Ness must have been imagining it. After all, his father was an adult. And Ness knew that adults didn't cry. Real men didn't cry.

A shaky gulp, then his father's voice filtered through the receiver. "And don't worry about your mother, champ. She's got the right to know, but I'll break the news to her easy. I'll let her know that everything's okay."

"Thanks, dad."

"...Champ? Remember to eat, don't stay up too late, always watch out for strangers-"

"Dad," Ness said softly. "I'm okay."

"Well...if you say so..."

An awkward silence.

"I think I'm gonna hit the hay now." A moment of sincere silence. "Miss you, dad."

"I miss you too, champ."

Finally relaxing in new-found peace, Ness clicked the phone off.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Many miles away, a man in a corporate suit clutched at his smart phone as if it were a lifeline. Under the stinging fluorescent light, the poor man could stared at the the trembling device in his shaky hands. Silent, salty tears dripped from cheeks as if the man had lost his only son.

If any of his co-workers had bothered to stumble across his office, they might have heard him utter a strange word that sounded vaguely like a name.

"Nessie..."

But of course, that's a silly conjecture, as no one did come stumbling upon his office.

After all, adults don't cry.

Real men don't cry.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Crushing the gravel beneath his toes, Ness finally approached the dwelling.

Sad, soft music greeted his ears.

Ness remembered the context of the familiar song. The lyrics told of a man who had lost a loved one to war.

Strange. Funny. Heartrending.

Confused, Ness creaked open the door, and Claus met his eye. The ginger put a finger to his own lips.

Eyes completely closed, Lucas's hands were serenely clasped over the headphones on his ears. His mouth open, the musical lyrics smoothly rolled off his tongue and danced off his lips. Lucas's breathing was calm, yet controlled; Ness could see his chest rise and fall with the changing volume. Sometimes, the blond's forehead creased with the effort of trying to hit a particularly high-pitched note, and Ness was awed by the sheer amount of concentration Lucas was putting into such a simple song.

Finally, Lucas stopped.

Ness almost reached over to shake him by the shoulder, but when he noticed that Claus had yet to move from his silent position by the windowsill, Ness paused, checking himself on time. He waited.

Ness's patience was well-deserved. After several seconds, Lucas pulled off the headphones. Claus tossed him a water bottle, which the blond caught gratefully, and as Lucas began downing its contents, Claus spoke. "You sang E sharp instead of E."

"It's that note at the beginning of the repeat, right?"

"Yeah."

"Oh no..." Lucas groaned. "I keep forgetting, don't I?"

"Hey, it's only practice. Don't sweat."

Catching motion in the corner of his eye, Lucas finally registered Ness standing by the door. He choked on his water. "N-Ness?"

"Hey."

Lucas flustered. "I, I, uh, sorry if my singing bothered you. I'm done practicing now, so don't worry, I won't bother you-"

"Relax. I don't mind." Ness's eyes curiously roamed over the radio. "Do you normally practice like this at home?"

"Yeah," Lucas admitted.

"He does this every day," Claus butted in, rolling his eyes. "Usually we practice in the evening, but yeah, Lucas has a bad habit of turning on the radio and singing whatever god-awful song is playing."

"That was just _one_ time!" Lucas protested. "How was I supposed to know you hated country music?"

Claus shuddered. "To this day, I am officially scarred for life."

Lucas laughed. "Claus, I am _very_ disappointed in you," he rumbled, lowering his voice into a gruff baritone. "As a son of a farmer, you have just shamed our family. You are no longer my brother."

Irritated, Claus swatted at his foot. "Quit it."

Wide-eyed in shock, Ness threw Lucas an surprised look. "Was that supposed to be _your dad?"_

Bashfully, Lucas rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-Yeah?"

"Your voice range is amazing!" Ness blurted out, looking impressed. "You can mimic people?"

The twins answered him simultaneously.

"Not really," Lucas admitted.

"Hell, yes," Claus grunted. "And it's as annoying as fuck."

Lucas stuck his tongue out at his brother. "Don't worry, Ness," he said cheerfully. "Claus is just a grumpy sourpuss because he doesn't want to admit how many times I've tricked him by pretending to be our dad-"

"I WASN'T TRICKED."

"But really, I just sing," Lucas said modestly. "The Mr. Saturns had a radio and headphones we could borrow, so Claus was making sure I stayed in tune."

"More like _you_ dragged _me_ over. Geezus, Lucas, you're a right pain in the ass." Claus snorted, shaking his head. "Ness, I told Lucas to give singing up a couple years ago because it was causing him problems."

Ness glanced at him curiously. "Problems?"

"Lucas sings soprano."

"So?"

Claus scowled darkly. "That's why he gets bullied a lot, Ness. Because there's always these stupid morons who think his singing sounds too girly or too gay or some shit."

Ness felt anger bubble up in him. "No way."

"It's not as bad as you think," Lucas added softly, and Ness jumped; he had forgotten that the quiet blond had been there. "It sounds a lot worse than it actually is."

"That still gives them no excuse to bully you!"

"Ness-"

"That's it." Ness leaped up, looking outraged. "Who're their names? I-I'll _punch_ them in the face!"

"Hold it right there, Mr. Student Body President," Claus drawled, bored. "You should be the last person to punch someone in the face."

"What the hell, Claus!" Ness looked infuriated. "You _knew_ and you didn't do anything about it?"

Claus broke into a wicked smirk. "Who said I didn't do anything about it?"

Lucas blanched in horror. "Claus!" he broke out, scandalized. "You said you weren't going to beat any more people up!"

"Not beat up, per se." Claus twirled a finger into his hair. "I hacked their smartphones for embarrassing photos and blackmailed them."

Ness and Lucas looked equally horrified.

"You did _what_ now?" Ness said feebly. Next to him, Lucas paled rapidly, looking like he was ready to collapse from a heart attack.

"Kidding. I _wish._" Claus sighed, shaking his head. "I'm not that evil."

"I'll say," Ness muttered under his breath.

Lucas exhaled a loud sigh of relief. "Thank god," he said, weakly slumping onto the floor.

Claus threw his brother an exasperated look. "Why do you always jump to the worst conclusions when _I'm_ involved?"

"You are a stellar hacker, Claus," Ness pointed out. "I wouldn't put it past you _not_ to do that."

"Point taken."

"But we won't doubt you again," Lucas reassured him, and Claus grunted. "Speaking of which, Ness, did you call your mom?"

"Yeah, I di-" Suddenly, Ness shot up from his position on the floor. "Holy crap, _NINTEN!_ We gotta go check on him! I completely forgot-"

"Chill out. He's right here," Claus said in a bored drawl, jabbing a thumb at the back of the couch. "The Mr. Saturn wanted to keep him overnight in the hospital wing, but BuzzBuzz somehow managed to convince them otherwise."

"Where's BuzzBuzz?"

Claus closed his eyes. "He's in the hospital...Headache, I think?"

"Is Ninten okay?" Ness asked, trying not to sound too guilty; he had completely forgotten about his sick friend after calling his father.

Lucas gave him a reassuring nod. "Don't worry, Ness. He's supposed to wake up soon. Well..." he trailed off in concern. "We tried waking him up earlier, but he must be tired, because he's been sleeping for the past hour..."

Ness turned around, facing the couch. "Psst," he hissed. "Oi. Ninten!"

No response.

"Wow. He's out like a light," Ness noted, eyeing Ninten's slumbering form. If it weren't for the steady rise and fall of his chest, the pale teen resembled a healthy corpse. But it was hard to tell: Ninten _naturally _resembled a healthy corpse.

Lucas shifted in place. "I thought he'd be awake from all the singing," he said quietly.

Ness shook his head. "Oh, you have _no idea._ Ninten has weird sleeping habits. I bet you, he could sleep through a tornado."

As if on cue, Ninten twitched. "No..." he mumbled."I don't wanna play chess..."

Ness breathed in relief. "Yep. That sounds just like it. Now all we have to do is find a way-"

"Oh, don't worry." Claus's eyes lit up with a wicked glint. "I think I know _exactly _how to wake him up..."

* * *

**Heya guys!**

**Holy smokes. It's been over a month since I've updated. I offer my sincerest apologies on leaving you all on such an abrupt note; college has started, and oh boy, with ochem and mobio this semester, I've only gotten a total of 16 hours of sleep this past week alone. I really wanted to post this chapter yesterday, but my three roomies got worried and advised me to take a nap. I refused. Finally, one of them came up to me with this REALLY serious look in her eyes, and said,**

**"Phoesong, SLEEP. If you don't take a nap right now, I'm gonna knock you out. _With a frying pan_."**

**Thankfully, none of us own frying pans, so I am writing to you with my head still snuggly fit on my shoulders. But yeah, long story short: I've been crazy busy, college wi-fi sucks, and my roomies are awesome. **

**About Chapter 19...oh geez. It was so long (~20,000 words without A/N), that I split it into two chapters. So if this chapter feels incomplete, I'm sorry; I'll get around to posting the other half as soon as I can :) If it also makes you feel better, Chapter 20 is also partially done~**

**And oh geezus, your reviews...why do they seem to increase in feels every time I read them goddamnit I need a tissue**

**With all the time that's passed and chapter 19 festering in my doc manager, I was feeling less and less confident about posting what I had. But hey, for better or for worse, y'all deserve to know how this story ends. **

**SO HOLY BANANAS LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!**

* * *

**Trying not to kill your eyes with bold text. ^_^**

**ConnorTheSpelingPro****: **YES, I LOVE CRITICISM! *Throws confetti on your head* I know what you mean. To be honest, I'm still not pleased with the chapter. I tweaked around a few words, but because of the non-descriptive flashbacks, I think the emotional department kinda fell into a cheesy flop. Oh boy. I'll see what I can do though. And heh, it's all right; even if you don't care much about plot, I hope you find the characters satisfying. :)

**ApprenticeWriter: **Ah yes, if only an accidental stabbing could've saved Canon!Claus. D: And...forgive my lack of Mother/Earthbound knowledge, but I had no idea that the Mr. Saturn are chimaeras. Oops.*Bows low in apology* I have failed thee! ...PK Starstorm, huh? Interesting choice~ ;D And you're absolutely right: who doesn't love mom-fricking Starstorm?

**B33 Beep Beep Meow: **Claus *might* die. ;) Not yet, homie, not yet.

**Mysterious Owl****: **Hmmm choice one? We'll see, my friend. :D We'll see.

**Insert Name Here: **Wow, PK Starstorm's really becoming a popular choice. XD And awh shucks, I'm glad you like my story. :) After all, it's my job to make this fic as entertaining as possible~

**Angel-Woof**: Yay for character history! Don't you worry, Angel-Woof, we'll have plenty lot of those coming up in the future! And YAS you called the Mr. Saturns! XD As for if Ness and Claus will get along together, I hope so too. :) And ohhh geez, you do not know how long I spent ROFLing over your analysis of possible future scenarios. Keep making me laugh with your humor! But wow, everyone's choosing PK Starstorm...And about my SSBB fic, it's on hold for now until I finish this monster right here. :) But thanks for reading it~

**DarkFoxKit: **Sorry. D: Ahhhh I didn't mean to bother you with Claus possibly dying I'm an awful person asdfghjkl- but thanks. :) It's about time Ness and Claus got along haha. And hey, thank you for your support on my fic. I really appreciate it. :)

**Guest**: Ahh shucks, I'm just really glad that this fic makes you happy. :) Being happy always beats bubbling in the blues, right?

**Readergirl27: **Thanks. :) Yeah, I'm also a fan of multiple POVs b̶e̶c̶a̶u̶s̶e̶ ̶i̶t̶ ̶g̶i̶v̶e̶s̶ ̶m̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶f̶i̶t̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶l̶s̶ ̶

**DistorterOfPhase: **Thank you. I do my best to be as knowledgeable as I can about this franchise :) And interesting, quite interesting selections of choices there…Are you sure I won't have the will to kill off Claus? Challenge accepted. B) And to answer your questions:

**(1)** I do plan on playing the Mother series (most likely emulator)…but probably not anytime soon. XD Assuming I even get into med school, I won't get a job until I turn like thirty. So lol maybe I'll play it then.

**(2)** The characters rescued from the facility will make a return in the original chapter 20 (before 19 got split). So to be clear: Chapter 21.

**(3)** You answer me. B)

**CrankySky: **Haha Claus is indeed a jerk with a heart of gold. And hooray for more brotherly-fluff moments! XD And as for if Ninten will get better…we'll see. ;) And dude, seriously, thank you for your patience:)

**Silvereyer: **True dat. You got a point there; my fic's getting damn serious. XD And no, don't apologize; I should've clarified. :) Ninten's been knocked out by the asthma, but he's got a really weak immune system so he got really sick in the cold. :x Sorry haha – I'm supposed to expand on this next chapter, so don't worry! And touche; Mr. Saturn are strange folk. Ahh yeah, I'd like to think that Flint thinks of Hinawa even after all these years. :( And hey, that's a curious interpretation of which future events are gonna occur (especially with the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation). But I'm not spoiling anything yet~ ;D And yeah, thanks for your consideration. :) I'm grateful that a lot of my readers are surprisingly conscientious, and I appreciate that.

**PollyanaMother3:** lol, you're not alone. *If* Claus dies, I'm pretty sure I'll have to run before all of you start coming at me with your torches and pitchforks. XD But as for whether or not I'll kill him off…we'll just have to wait and see. ;D

**A Fan**: Heya there! :D It might sound strange, but I feel like I remember you from reviewing Connor's "City of Progress." *checks* Oh whoops I'm right. Haha this feels like a weird reunion. XD And no sweat; the majority of my readers don't leave reviews, which is fine – everyone is Internet shy to some degree. :) But if you want to leave behind a review, by all means, multas gratias. :)

**Guest:** Thanks! No, it's okay to admit it; my earlier chapters were sucky. XD They still are, but I'm done fiddling with them. No point in poking the sleeping bear in the eye. But thanks; your comment really tells me that my writing's improved somewhat, albeit even only a little. XD

**PlushiePaw:** Imagine my surprise when I checked the inbox and saw your delightful review. Wow, seriously, thanks, man. :) Likewise, because this fic makes references based on canonical events, I can't avoid pairings altogether, but Romance will play a small role in the fic. As an older sibling myself, I wanted to express my own concerns over my own brother and transfer them into writing this fic. :) And as for whether or not Claus will die…we'll see. ;) And gosh,why are all you readers are choosing PK Starstorm haha

**OXYD:** Oh man, finally a different answer. xD But I'm not spoiling anything yet~

**Guest:** Bruh, I just updated! ;D *Throws confetti into the air* And nice theory you've got there. :) But you know I wouldn't tell you if it's right or wrong. ;D I'm not spoiling anything~

**[Insert appropriate disclaimer here]**


	20. Giygas's Intimidation

Psychic dreams were strange distortions and representations of time.

Past, present and future rapidly converged together in a blur of images to produce random snippets of visions and memories. Sometimes, Ninten had hoped that his dreams would reveal questions for his next math test, but sadly, his hopes never came to fruition.

This time, Ninten was standing in gray.

Everything was gray: the sky, the clouds, the grass. Gray it was, and gray it felt. Ninten stonily stood in front of a smooth gravestone as the unrelenting rain soaked his worn jacket and sent shivers down his slim, too-tall frame.

Next to him was a younger lady veiled in a corset of midnight maroon, hiding her face in her delicate handkerchief, but try as he might, Ninten couldn't turn his head to see who it was. The man he was impersonating was focused on the gravestone, and only on the gravestone alone.

His reflection stared back at him with wet, brown eyes.

Furrowing his eyebrows, Ninten squinted out the intricately-carved name on the weather-beaten stone:

Maria.

19XX-19YY

Music keeps the heart alive.

Ninten could sense the man's - no, wait, in this dream he _was_ the man - fresh surge of feeling. A wry sense of raw disbelief clouded his mind. Even in death, his grandmother had to remind him of her lullabies…lullabies he used to hate because lullabies were only for _little kids_, and he was a _full-fledged adult_…

"She's had a good run," his sister spoke up.

It wasn't English.

Ninten could tell that they were speaking in another language. Russian? Romanian?

"She died in pain. She didn't deserve this."

"She's alive in our hearts-"

"She's dead," Ninten said coldly, refusing to acknowledge her comfort. "Ma's dead, Carol. Music can't bring back the dead."

His sister lowered her head. Silence was shared.

She spoke up again. "Why didn't you contact us earlier?" First anxiety, then anger flooded her tone. "George and I've tried calling you like crazy, but you never picked up. It's been months, brother. _Months._ We were this close to reporting you for dead-"

"My apologies. I was busy tinkering in my lab and...and lost track of time." Ninten watched a crimson leaf fall from the boughs above. "Carol, I don't have much time to talk. There's something else that I have to tell you." Ninten paused. "I am working on a project. A _new_ project. It requires me to leave town-"

"You're leaving town, " she repeated.

"Yes."

"When will you return?"

"I do not know."

"Why leave? Stay-"

"I cannot. Furthermore, sister, I am not related to you by blood-"

"Don't you start this again. You're still my brother, adopted or not," she said, and with a jolt, Ninten's dream self finally recognized her features – she was younger version of his own mother. "You're a part of the family."

Ninten gave a bitter laugh. "I have strange mind-controlling powers, Carol."

"...So?"

"It's not normal. _I'm_ not normal." Ninten flickered his eyes to the side. "The longer you hang around me, the greater your risk of safety-"

His sister snorted. "Nobody cares about your powers."

"George does." Ninten's voice adopted a bitter tone. "Our relationship since my adoption has always been very...strained."

"But-"

"Do not lie. It is the truth."

She shifted in place. "You should stay," his sister said quietly. "He's not feeling so well these days-"

"The only reason he wants me to stay," Ninten said coolly. "Is because he doesn't want to lose his precious _experiment_."

"You haven't seen him for a while. He's changed ever since Ma died. I think he does regret doing things...to you." His sister winced at the expression on his face. "I never knew that he tried all sorts of funny tests on you in the basement. Really, if I'd known earlier, I would've-"

"Done nothing," Ninten said. "Because this doesn't concern you."

"Your health was at risk. Of course it concerns me!" His sister crossed her arms. "Stay. If George ever tries to test anything funny on you again, he'd better back off. _Especially_ when my son has these powers now."

Ninten stirred. "How is my favorite nephew?"

"He's your only nephew."

"Very true."

His sister laughed quietly. "Ninten's a troublemaker. Already five, and making a fuss about how he wants to go into law. He might've inherited your powers, but he hasn't inherited your knack for math."

"He's an intuitive child." Ninten rubbed awkwardly at his sleeve. "Thank you for coming to see me off. I did not wish to part on a sour note."

His sister peered up at him. "Must you leave?"

"It's for the best."

"Keep in touch. Or at the very least, reconsider and stay. There's no need for you to move out permanently," she pleaded. "You could be a mentor for my son."

"...A mentor?" A strange warmth prickled his heart at the thought, and Ninten inclined his head. "We shall see."

"Of course. How goes your _new __project_ so far?"

"I received a new lead. We're visiting Carpainter at Twoson tonight."

"We?"

"An old colleague and I."

She made a face. "An _old colleague?_ You mean, your hippy friend?"

"_Fassad's_ not a hippy. He's proven himself to be a remarkably invaluable confidante, sister."

She opened her mouth, then closed it again with a sniff. "There's something fishy about that man-"

"Fassad discovered an interesting artifact in the ancient ruins: A figurine in the shape of a man. That statue's at least a thousand years old. An amazing find. I can't refuse this offer, Carol."

"You're staying overnight just to see a bazillion year-old _rock_?"

"That is the plan."

His sister shook her head. "You're crazy."

"Two nights. Three. I have a good feeling about this _rock._" Ninten gripped her shoulders. "Carol, Ninten's PSI will develop with puberty. If his powers start acting up, use his poor health as an excuse to miss school. He might not like i, but if anyone saw him doing strange things…he might be taken out of your custody, or worse, _someone_ might experiment on him-"

"We are the descendants of Maria." A proud, haughty look had entered his sister's eyes. "I won't let George experiment on my son. Worry about yourself."

"_Worry about yourself_. Ma used to say such colloquialisms-"

"For apt reasons."

"Apt in what sense?"

"You were always the studious one of the family." She sniffed. "Double majoring in Archeology and Mechanical Engineering? _Please."_

"I chose ambition. You chose family. Had you chased your dreams, you would have made an excellent engineer yourself...but you gave up your life for your husband." Giygas's lips curled in distaste. "A rich, bratty lawyer in an overcoat and tophat-"

"My _husbando_ is a wonderful man."

"I do not approve of him. He is a foolish child."

"Leave him out of this, you jerk," His sister muttered. "I bet if _you_ had a wife and kids, they'd all run away crying."

"I have twin nieces and a psychic nephew. I don't plan to settle down soon." Ninten turned towards the city. "Carol, this talk is over. The trip to Twoson awaits."

His sister gripped his hand. "Take care. Happy Happy is a village full of the Strange and Unseemly."

"Happy Happy is a misnomer. The inhabitants are insane, blue-eyed cultists...like your foolish husband."

"GREG-"

"Very well. This topic is now closed for discussion."

Another chastised rebuke rang in Ninten's ears, and the world faded into darkness once more.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

White. Everything was white.

In the depths of unconsciousness, Ninten stirred. But he had no intention of moving; much like his body, exhausted was his mind.

A soft whisper tickled his ear. "Ken…"

He only squeezed his eyes shut in response, hoping that whoever it was would stop bothering him. Yet that voice persisted.

"Ken…_Wake_."

Reluctantly, Ninten slowly cracked open his eyes.

An endless, anti-gravity dimension stretched far out beneath his toes. Nothingness engulfed the entire plane.

"Ken."

At the third repetition of his name, Ninten whirled around in shock. "You!"

"Me," Giygas said calmly, basking in an air of cold grandeur.

"What…What are you doing here?!" Ninten said furiously, getting over his shock. "Get out of my mind!"

Another chair and a desk materialized in front of him, and Giygas gestured to the empty seat. "If you are so kind to join me in a game of chess," he droned monotonously. "I would be most obliged."

"I'd rather not-" Ninten began heatedly, but was cut off by Giygas's icy glare.

"_Sit_."

Ninten scowled, but feeling those cold, unforgiving eyes sear into his face, he complied, plopping into the empty seat with a violence that sent his chair squeaking from abuse. "How did you enter my mind?"

"I have powers beyond which any man can comprehend." A chess board materialized on the desk, and Giygas indifferently fiddled with the pieces. "Black, or white?"

"I don't care."

Giygas sighed, waving his hand. Like tiny magnets, the game pieces flew onto their respective positions, and the chess board set itself up on its own accord. "Must you be so disrespectful?"

Ninten glared back.

Giygas remained unfazed. "Fair enough. If you insist, I will make the first move."

His long, slender fingers slowly displaced his white knight. The beautiful, glass figurine smoothly slid forward with an unearthly grace, looking dignified and proud of its role. "Your turn."

"I don't want to play!"

"Nobody plays because they have a choice."

"I'm still not playing."

Giygas threw him with a look. "I thought you wanted answers."

Damn it, he was right. Ninten flicked his scrawny pawn two paces forward. "There. Happy?"

Giygas studied his move, then tapped his fingers against the wooden table. One, two, three, four. "I have no idea of your whereabouts, but it seems that my powers are strong enough to breach your consciousness." Giygas's eyes flickered to his. "After all, we are related..."

"You're no relative of mine," Ninten said bitterly.

"By blood we are not, but by _magic - _through prolonged exposure with your family - parts of my PSI must have influenced yours. We are undoubtedly related, Ken, related in more ways you cannot imagine. Speaking of which, judging from your lack of external stimuli..." Giygas paused. His fingers stilled. "You are unconscious."

As if on cue, Ninten shuddered as a stroke of hot, searing pain tore through his body. He bit his lip as his veins burned, feeling as though each one had caught fire.

Giygas hovered one hand over his King. His eyes flickered to the side. "You are ill."

"Don't be stupid. I'm asleep."

"It was not my intention to hurt you-"

"Stop," Ninten said suddenly. "Stop pretending that you care."

"You are a foolish child."

The tension of the past few days finally exploded.

Ninten slammed his hands against the desk. The chess pieces trembled underneath his palms. "This is your problem. You kidnap everyone I care about. You lie, steal, and hurt anyone around you, and you'd do it again without second thought. Stop, Giygas. Drop the act. You say that you care for me one moment, then call me a _foolish child_ the next. I'm not your chess piece. Make up your mind, because I can't take it anymore." Ninten clenched his fists. "Go on, Giygas. Say it. Say how much you hate me."

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side.

Realizing that his uncle wasn't going to respond, Ninten sank into his chair. "Why do you keep giving me false hope?" he said quietly. "If I'm not worth anything to you, then just say so. _I hate you_. Three words. It's not that hard."

Something suddenly sparked in Giygas's eyes. "I...I don't-" He halted. For the first time, Giygas looked confused. Scared. "I don't know how I feel." His eyes rapidly flickered to Ninten. They lost their focus. "How are you making me feel so...small? You, a tiny foolish child? For some reason, I can't...I can't-"

"-I can't indulge in such childish sentiments._"_

Taken aback by the sudden change in tone, Ninten stared at him in confusion.

Giygas looked just as surprised. The man clenched his mouth, then re-opened it in quiet realization. "I hurt you."

Instantly, his features contorted, twisting into an amused façade. "The plan is of utmost priority."

Ninten watched in a twisted rapture as his uncle began arguing with himself.

"Family comes first."

"Of course. That's why _t__he plan is essential._ Your words, not mine."

"I hurt my own nephew."

"Almost, but not quite."

Giygas clutched at his head. "This is not what Maria would have wanted-"

"How would she know? You have been asleep for too long, Giygas," the man whispered, the edge of his left lip curling upwards ever-so-slightly in mad glee. "Maria is dead."

Giygas's face contorted in silent agony. "No."

"Maria is dead."

"NO!"

"Maria is _dead_. Deadity, deadity DEAD," he sneered, a crease scrunching up his forehead.

"No, she's not! She can't be!" A sob. "She's not dead! SHE'S NOT DEAD!" Shaking, Giygas leaned over, seizing a paralyzed Ninten by the shoulders. Giygas's eyes began to shift and melt into a whirl of colors. "Maria..._M-__Maria..._"

"She can still be saved. Maria can still be saved."

As if in agreement, his eyes sparked with insane logic. Giygas lowered his voice into a terribly reassuring murmur. "Maria can still be saved...at a small price, of course. Everything is under control. Why, nobody is dead; nobody is hurt. Who can say that I'm in the wrong?"

With a pained grimace, Giygas closed his eyes. "...It hurts," he rasped, clawing desperately at his heart. "It hurts...It hUrts...it HuRtS_-_"

To say that Ninten was frightened was an understatement.

"G-Giygas?" he stammered. "What's going on?"

Weakly slumped against the furniture, his uncle only moaned, piteously scrabbling at the table top in response.

Ninten stood frozen, uncertain and unsure of what to do. Carefully, he prodded the the downed man. "Um..."

But in an alarming burst of speed, Giygas loudly slapped a quivering palm onto the table. His pupils seemed to have shrunk to two small pinpricks of obsidian. "No need to help," came the cool voice. Righting himself onto the wooden chair, Giygas stared straight at him, studying Ninten with a shrewd, calculating gaze. "Everything is under control."

Hesitating, Ninten stared at Giygas for any sign of his..."multi-personality" disorder, but his uncle was as impassive as always. When Ninten still didn't respond, Giygas raised an eyebrow. The man gestured towards the unfinished chess game.

"Take a seat. It's your turn."

Something was clearly wrong. "Giygas," Ninten started carefully. "Are you feeling all right?"

A mad giggle. "Giygas is feeling _fine_. Just feeling a tad bit worried for his nephew's welfare."

"Uncle," Ninten addressed, feeling fear trickle down his spine. "Stop it. You're starting to freak me out."

Another mad miggle. Giygas, still fixing Ninten with an unwavering gaze, slowly and deliberately flicked a chess piece over. The sharp sound pierced his ears, and Ninten flinched violently at the loud, harsh clatter of shattering glass on wood.

"Your move," Giygas whispered. His insane grin slowly widened.

Ninten rose shakily, backing away. "I'm done with this game."

"I'm not done with you yet." His aura blazing with raw energy, Giygas's eyes began to glow like molten lava.

All of a sudden, Ninten felt his limbs seize up. Wide-eyed, Ninten struggled, but the telekinesis overwhelmed him, pinning him in place. He could barely move his jaw. "G-Giygas-"

Giygas snapped his fingers, and Ninten's king flew into his palm. "I made the first move, and you responded to my call. All I have to do is wait until my pieces align, and then-" His fist snapped the piece cleanly into two in front of Ninten's frozen eyes. "_Checkmate_."

"You're not my uncle," Ninten managed to gasp.

"You're not _my_ uncle either."

The invisible bonds disappeared. Coughing, Ninten pulled away. "Who are you?!"

"Who do you think I am?"

"A madman!" Ninten spat, nursing his sore wrists.

"Flattering. Your humor knows no bounds." His uncle smiled, but the eerie look didn't quite reach his eyes. "Giygas might not want to harm you, but I might harbor certain..._reservations_ about that thought."

Ninten's eyes smoldered with fury. "You're not hurting anyone else. I'm through with your games!"

"Then let's talk science. That should be plenty rational to you." Giygas smiled like a student who had outwitted his teacher in class. "Did you know that emotional pain is a subjective notion controlled by neurotransmitters? If your friends were "hurt" by my actions, how is it essentially _my_ fault?"

"Don't confuse me!"

"Confuse you? Human beings are slaves to the same biological tendencies and desires as other animals. Even the tiniest amoeba has more genes than you do at this very moment. Compared to that, humans aren't any more superior than the ants crawling beneath the same soil."

"It's wrong," Ninten managed to say. "You can't treat everyone like dirt. People have feelings. _You_ have feelings!"

Giygas froze in mid speech. For a second, Ninten thought he had managed to get his point across, but his heart sank when Giygas burst into a fit of mad hilarity.

"Are you telling me that humans are special because of their capacity to FEEL?"

"Yeah, maybe I am!"

Giygas doubled over, convulsing with mirth. "Oh, YOU are a RIOT! It's so funny! I haven't seen that kind of humor in...well, centuries! Don't delude yourself. What you call pain is an influx of glutamate! What you call love is just a chemical reaction that compels you to breed! Survival of the fittest! Disprove me. Am I lying?"

_YES! _Ninten wanted to scream, but as much as he wanted to challenge the words spewing out of Giygas's mouth, he couldn't find a way to disprove them.

In fact, that was the worst part. It was frightening how _rational_ yet _irrational _Giygas sounded.

But Ninten didn't give up. "How about me? How about my mother? How about _Maria_?" Ninten snapped. He couldn't exactly tell why, but an overwhelming sense of anger began to cloud his upbeat nature. "Don't you care about us? Or are we just insignificant, little _ants _to you?"

He had hit a nerve.

Abruptly, Giygas slammed his palms down onto the desk. His dark form loomed over Ninten in a dangerous shadow. "Do you presume to be arrogant by mentioning her name so flippantly? What gives you the right to mention her in that disrespectful manner? But no matter. You and your friends are all pieces. Clueless little chess pieces in my grand game of games," Giygas breathed. Wild madness danced in his eyes. "You think that you're off my chess board, but I've already taken your king. Why, the game has barely even started, and _you_ have already _lost_."

An awful sense of trepidation filled Ninten's heart. "What do you mean?! We haven't lost!"

"There's been a traitor planted within your midst, and you don't even know who it is."

Ninten blanched. "You're lying," he said shakily. "You're lying to me, aren't you?"

"Perhaps I am. Perhaps I'm not. I could toy with you forever, and ever, and ever...Let's play. Let's another game..._house-hunting!_" Giygas snapped his fingers. An illusion of a swirly dome sprang in place, and Giygas prodded it with a bony finger. "What a wonderful view over Grapefruit Falls. You should stop by. Just for the view. Wouldn't you agree?"

"No."

"Of course not. You are a complete dunderhead."

Internally bristling at the patronizing tone, Ninten gritted his teeth, then studied the image of the house rippling in his thoughts. "What's so important about the cottage?"

"Everything."

"You're lying. This is another trap."

Giygas's smile widened. "Is it? I am the liar who tells the truth, and he who is a man is not a man after all."

"Stop messing with me!"

"All knowledge has a price. If you wish to simmer in never-ending ignorance, then go ahead. You'd only wasted your time."

"I want answers!" Ninten spat, shaky hands crackling with PSI. "What have you done to my uncle?!"

Giygas's blue irises winked a bloody violet in the dying light. His eyelids blinked independently of each other in a wet, reptilian _snick_, lending an inhuman look to his deadly, lopsided features. "I bring out the worst in some people and the best in others...but what can I say? I do give a great impression of an villain. I've perfected an evil laugh for _eons._ Care to listen? _HAHAHAAAAAAAAA!"_

"STOP MESSING WITH ME!"

"Your anger amuses me." Giygas's teeth gleamed. "I know! Why don't I consult myself? Hey, self! What do _you_ think?"

Giygas clawed his face, drawing a furrow of crimson across of his cheek. He looked terrified. "Not in...Grapefruit Falls-!"

A gurgle and a choke.

"Did I interrupt something?" The condescending look was back. "I _hate_ spoilers. A spoiled surprise is no surprise at all!"

Seething with boiling anger, Ninten hurled a rush of PSI at him, but Giygas flicked it aside. "Elementary, my dear Watson. How do you plan to stop me? You have neither the plan, nor the skill. You can't even grasp the true form of my attack!"

Giygas's eyes glowed once more.

Ninten jumped as a disembodied howl of agony ripped throughout his mindscape. Deadly volcanic ash erupted from his dream, showering Ninten with dozens of horrible illusions, and coughing, he swatted feebly at the smoky powder, trying not to suffocate on the cloud of dust. Overhead, Giygas's awful conviction rang in his ears, grating and groaning into a distorted snarl of insanity.

"Ninten, I don't want to hurt you..."

_Ana screamed shrilly as a Starman blasted her face into bloody smithereens._

"But if you continue to oppose me…"

_Ness lay belly-up on his back, staring at the ceiling with glassy violet eyes. Blood leaked out of his mouth, staining his blue lips a dark crimson._

"Your precious friends will pay with their lives."

_Lucas and Claus sat against each other, slumped back to back, both skewered through the stomach by the same bloody sword. Fresh tear tracks trailed their cheeks, mixing with the gore on the glinting, golden blade._

Frozen with fear, Ninten watch the nightmarish illusions with horrified eyes. His friends' tortured, dying shrieks melded and oozed into his brain into one terrible symphony of pain, _tearing into his heart and ripping through his mind_-

"Stop it!"

The volume of torture increased in intensity. "Stop what?"

"STOP MESSING WITH MY MIND!" Ninten screamed, clapping his hands over his ears. It did little to drown out the cacophonous screams of agony.

The illusions disappeared, leaving them stranded in a blank mindscape once more. Retching on the ground, Ninten shuddered, clutching his head in pain.

"I'll let you stew over the consequences of your actions. But just so you remember: everyone dies, life is hopeless, and your efforts to stop me are humorous at best. Really! They're entertaining! Come talk to me again whenever you get the chance!"

Giygas bend his spine into a low bow. His teeth gleamed as he tossed his head back, and Giygas laughed, a terrifying, high-pitched cackle that sent the hairs on Ninten's neck standing on end.

Giygas was mad. Insane.

Wrenching himself free from his bonds, Ninten did the only thing he could.

He ran.

"Run, Ninten, RUUUUUUUUUUN!" Giygas screamed in a bizarre mix of glee and fear. His features looked downright savage in the crimson light. "Let's see how fast as you can run from your fate! Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream-"

With a _hiss_, a shower of boiling sparks erupted, casting shadows slanting down Giygas's face. As white-hot magma melted the rough, craggy rock into shapeless goo, Ninten sped up into a desperate sprint, dodging and darting between gasping geysers-

A_ CRACK _of thunder.

"Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily...Life is just dream!"

A twisted howl of mirth echoed against the walls. An animalistic panic seized Ninten, skewering his heart with pure terror as he fled from his demented relative. The unsteady mountain crumbled and collapsed, forcing Ninten stumble into the dark caverns below, and flattening himself behind a cracked boulder, Ninten doubled over, trying to calm his shallow, erratic breaths. Despite the dreamscape, the heat of the lava _felt_ real, scorching and sizzling whispered threats underneath his seared feet.

"Oh, Nintennnn..." the voice sang. "Come out, come out, wherever you areeeeeee..."

Shivering sweat trickled off his black bangs, and Ninten shrank back behind his wall of stone, praying that nothing would happe-

A bony hand clamped onto his shoulder.

His own hand to be more precise.

"dO YoU tHiNK tHAt YOu cAn eSCape FRoM mE?" his double asked innocently.

In sheer terror, Ninten slashed through his copy with a sparking hand, but the illusion only laughed, melting into his uncle's twisted features.

'"mARk My wORds, I wIll FinD yOu," Giygas promised in an awful groan. Rattling eyes rolled madly in their foaming sockets. Thick, devilish horns sprouted from his temples. "AnD I wILL DesTROY YoU AnD yOUr pEttY LiTtlE fRieNdSSssSSsss-"

Ninten jerked away.

Giygas's nightmarish rasp continued to assault his ears. It barely sounded human.

'

̿͆̔ͮ̚҉̶̶͔̦͕̪̠̠̰̀́

I͐ͥ̃ͥ̈́ͬ͊ͬ҉̶̷̵̭͎̙̞͔̬̳̩̙͢ť̢̢̛͚̺̪̬̝̻̙̖̲̠͍̬̐̾ͪͦ̿ͯͨͬ̇ͪ͒ͮ̓ͤ̓ͪ͠ ̣͖̫͍͉̟̠̤͇͍̥̣̼̭̀̓ͦͣ̇ͮ̑ͭ̈̽ͨͫ́͞H̸̨̧̗̙̩͚̻̜̖̞̺̯̱̘̗̺̼͔̖͊̈́̐̾ͫͩ͌̓͡ͅU̘̦͓͉͛̈́͐͐ͣͬͯ̓̀ͥͩ̒̿ͯͣͨ͒̊͢͢ͅṘ̴͉̪̗̦̟͉̹͎̝̻̖̬͈̫̳̒͒͌ͮͨͬ̍͂́͋̌ͦ̽̚͢͜͠͡Ţ̵̡̨̣̲͍̘͍͙͔̥͎̣̙ͦͥ͑̾̽S̡̡̺͇͍̯̘̣̟̙̬̯͚̩͚̱͇͇̗̪̻̍̓͋͒ͪͭ͝.̴̷͕̰̫̦͓̻̔̆͛̾ͯ͒̐.̶̯̪̗̙̙͉̳̺̟͉̺̗͔̯̉ͣ̐̑̽̔ͮ̋̓̒ͨ̍̋̀̑ͮͮ́.͖̦̻̠͇̤̥̺̫͚̞͗ͭ̊͆̀͘͘͟ͅI̴̵̢̯̲̖͔͚̪̾̑ͯ̀ͩͤ̊͒̎̒ͥ̔̊͒̄̌͂͘'̱̮̳͚͕͖̜͇̼̦̝̮̩̈̿͆̎̎͊̅ͥ̎̎̉̏ͤ͑́ͥ̚͢m͖͕̹͉̼͉̙̤̼̲͕ͥͫ̍̐̓͂̾̽̂̽̈ͤ̏͆͘͝ͅ.̴͇̮̜̖̗̝̣̖̯̳̯͎̳͖͉̲̔͑̊͛ͪ͂̅̄̍̆̀̈́̀͟͟.̵̴͈̣͖̞͇͔̜̙͂ͩ̎͛̕.̷̢̘̲̜̦̰̯̤̜̐͌̊̉̿ͩͭ̇ͨ̇̽͂̑ͯ͑̍̀̚̚͟H̶̙̟͖̙̬̣̥͚̐̏́ͮ̊̈́̏ͧͨ̌̇͛ͤͦ̚͢͠.̆͐̏̅̆̄ͨ͆̐ͨ̽͊̈́̈̚҉̯̤̺̥͕͉̻̥̪͎̱͙͚̣̠̲.̡̯̳̱̱͈̩̞̙͇̫̳̌ͮ̈̌͌͆͗̕͘͟͝.̵̷̢͎̥̯̣͇͓̹͙̮͕͙̬̦̱̬ͯͯͧ͆̈́ͭ̔̄̌̎A̷̮̦̝̞͓̤͇͓͍̩͇̲̞͉̳̩̅ͧ͐ͭ̊̿̒ͪͣ̐͡.̷̷̛̻̺̙͍̻̳̬͔̯̖͈̪̞̞̻̫̺̩̼ͤͨ̍̋̚͡.̴̧͙͓̫̱̾͛̓͊̔ͫ͒͋̈́͜͡.̢͛͛̏ͩ̐͌̎̿̚͝͠͏̱͓͕̫ͅṖ̷̸͔̠̞͍̤͓̼̫̦̫͍̦̂͌̑̃̎̐̾̓ͯ̾͐̍̉ͯ̈͒ͧ͜͜͞.̶̲͍̮̰͍͛̋̄͂̔̍̑ͫ̌͐ͨ̑̾̚͠.̡͙̠̠͕͔̰̑̾ͣ̏ͬͭͧ͐͠.̶̹̩̭̹̘͇͔͙̜͍̳̭͍̱̣͇̜̤ͮͤ̽ͣ͟͞P̵̡̛͈͕̗̜̥͚̫͓̲̠̫̌͋͐̍͂̎̈́̒ͬ̋̏̄ͥ̌͟͡.̷̀̆͌ͪͩ̄ͭ͊͆̄̃͏̢̭̲̮̟̯͈.̸̧̙̹̰̤ͭ͂̎͊ͬ͜͞.̨ͣ͋̅̔̈́̃̓ͪͦ̎ͭ̃̉͊̾ͫ̓͛͢҉̺̥̺̦̘̳̭̫ͅỴ̨̭̟̪͎̫̣̘͔̲̹ͤ̑͛̃̊̂̎̒́͋͘͞.̧̅́̑̒̾ͯ̍̊̾̔ͬ̑̈́̏͊ͫ͐ͮͨ̀͝҉̺͕̘͉̦̞̪̣̮̩͔̤̞ͅ.̶̡͂͂̾ͨͩ͌̒̑̈͌̚̚͞҉͕̘͕̗ͅ.̸̻͓̫̗̱͓̥̬̗̯ͧ͌̃̈̽̎͋̊͑́ͣͬͪͨ̄̀̕  
̢͑́͆ͮ̾͊ͦ̿̕͠͏̨̺̭͈̜̩̫̥̭̙̟͇̬̝  
̵̷͍͍̭̦̼̯͈̺͈̪̫͇̞͋̑ͣͯ͂͗̊͠  
̴̼̲̤̮͉̖̪̜̠̩̦̼̪͇ͮͣ̇̽͊͆ͩ̈́͟͠͠ͅ  
͊̈́̑̆̎͒̋͌̍̇̆ͩͯͭ̉̄̈ͥ͏͉̘̱̟̟͈̕Ȟͣͬ̀͏̖̺̮̘̣̲̀͢.̧̡̧̣̦̣̭͈̘̠͇̞̦ͮ̔̽ͩ͐̋͋̿̀ͦ͛ͨ͊̔ͨͬͯ͞.̢͋̉͂̓̉҉̸̥͖͇̝̲̹̺̬̕ͅ.̷̡̮̥̯̝̹̲̘͔̜̦̱̗͈̊̍̋ͯ̂͆ͯͯ̋̊̏͠A̴̛͖̭͎̮͇͖̰̰̥̭̯̤͍̽ͣ̈́̔ͨ̃͑̅̈͑̇̂ͅ.̓ͧ̅̈́͘҉̸̡̖͎̟̰̥̬̱̻̗̠͕͍̳̞͙̭͡.̷̶̢̢̙͓̺̼͕͕̥̱̠̥̹̳̘̜̝͎ͦ͑͆́ͬ̌̌̀̒̑ͩ͑͂͂̎̆ͮ̏̚ͅͅ.ͯ̇̓͊̍͊̕͏̣̹͕̘̹͙̞͚͔̥̱̺̝̭̝͉͢͝͠ͅṖ̧̡͔̱͇͍̲̲͔͖̲̰͔̤͖̲̹̈́̏̆̾ͫ̍̅ͯ̏̎̔ͫ͊ͩ̓̇ͨ̔̀.̴̷̧̭͈̭̞̖̲̹͔̞̞̹̪̤̩̗͖͌͆̾͌͗̏.̨̜̞̺̱̠̯͇͙̫̥̰̱̮̬̞̣̂́͐ͦ̅ͭͬͧ͗ͬͩ͛͞ͅ.̢̤̯̣͈̗̘͇̣͍̯̝͕͈͎̄̋ͪ̓ͩ͆̎͒͆ͧ́̾ͩ́̚̚̕P̸̨ͧ͛̓͊͊̎̄̈̑͋͒͊̈͗̓̉̋ͮ͆̕͡҉̪͔̙͉̝.̸̢͉͓͖̦̩̽ͩ̆ͪ͛̽̆̕͝.̢̼̱̖͖̻͐̉̽̃ͤ̕͢͞.̡͈̙̜̦̠̻̺̥̭͈ͬ̊̐ͪ̈ͬͬ̌ͥ̈̎ͧ͡Ỵ̨̛͕̹̩͓̳̪̞̘̈́̔͗͋̔ͨ͜.̴͛̾͐̊ͩ̉ͨ̓҉͔̟̬̞͓̝̰͙̜̳̭.̴͇̱͔͖̻̯̓̏̂͊͆ͪ͑́̓ͥ̉͋̾͌ͧ̽͜.̛̯̙̝̟̯̮̭̙̆̑̀̎̽̾ͣ̕ͅ  
͈̬̬̲͓͔̣̬̞͊ͥͪ̉̇̅̓̿̃͐̇̈́̇̄̂ͮͩ̄̕  
̴̵̢̯̮̳͇͙̣̪̤͚̟̰͍̤͎̯̺͈̌̈́̈́͂̿͛ͨ̓͊ͧ͛͊ͣ́ͅ

̢̠̼̘̝̉ͭͣͮ̂ͧͪ̽͊̍͆̌ͩͤͣ̔̓Ì̞̥͈̊͋͊́̕͟t̵̶̜̜̤̖̮͕̩̎̓́ͬͫͩͯ͝͝͞.̡̧̱̤̤̥͔͍̾̈́̈́͐̉̎̏̔͗͑͑̾͋͞͠ͅ.̵̴̬̼̠̭̬͉͖̠̦̩̣̟̙̓ͪͮ̓̍ͭ̏̄̓͂́̕͜ͅ.̵̧̛̞̺̩̝̘̣̭͉͖͍̙ͧ̑̾̏̓ͨͦ̇̐ͮ́̂̆̑͊ͯ̀h̷̳̙̞̾ͣ̉ͤ̋ͫ̃͗̄̂̃̾̏ͥ̈̇̀͘͟ṳ̩̱͖͂ͨ̃͒̓ͫ̊͐̑ͨ̌͆̽̿͆͛́͠͞r̢̡̼̞̲͙ͬͧ͐̐ͨ̓̉̿̋ͩ͛ͮ̀̕͜ṭ̵̛̛̱̟͎̔̿̏ͦ̓ͪ̿́͜s̲̳̳̫̻͙̠̣̱̝̈́̿͒̂̂̐͛̔̿̾̚͜.̪̱̙͙͈̦̙̦͉̅͌̍̍̔̂ͣͪͩ̒̋ͭͭ̅͗̓́͜͡.̑͌ͫ̅̆̒͐ͥ̓ͫ̐̊̾̉̔̅͡҉̛͔͔̠͎͟.̷̢̨͉̝̳̟͇͖̲̱̪̼̦̮̘̻̰̘̖̝̪͙̲͑ͪ̎̅̍̒̀͐ͮͮ̒́ͤͬ͑͛͋̊̃ͨͩ̆͒͌ͯ͊̎̕̚͟͢͝

'

As Ninten stumbled backwards, recoiling from his tormentor's horrible face, the heel of his foot slipped off the rocky pavement.

Gravity took place. With a yell, Ninten plummeted down and sank into the blazing pits of liquid fire. Hungry lava devoured his shoes, sucking him down into an endless vortex of black...

"No!" Ninten shrieked, but the gurgling flames licked up his neck-

A final scream, then twin pits of fire melted through his sockets.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Ninten!"

"…Ninten?"

"Hey, hey. Tin-ten, wake up."

"Goddamnit, Ness. It's been a solid ten minutes. I'm getting a bucket of snow-"

"Claus!"

"Geez, I was just joking, Lucas. Don't give me that look." An impatient pause. "OI. LAWYER BOY. If you don't wake up in the next five seconds, I'm eating all your Oreos!"

As if on cue, Ninten's brown eyes flashed open. "NOOOOOO!" he yelled.

At his side, Claus loudly cracked up. "I can't believe that actually worked!"

Colors and shapes dawned in his vision. Ninten wildly scanned his surroundings. Strange, alien furniture decorated the capacious room, resembling the standard interior of a tiny cottage.

_…Or is it?_

Panicked thoughts chased after each other in his head.

_What if this is one giant illusion?_

_What if Giygas is still messing around with my mind?_

_What if everything I thought I knew was a lie, and everyone's actually...dead?_

Lucas noticed the horrified look on his friend's face and sobered up. "Ninten," he broke out worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Suddenly, Ninten slapped both his hands on Claus's cheeks, and began to slide them down with a glazed expression on his face.

Claus's eyes widened in wordless shock.

Lucas looked equally dumbstruck. "Uh…," he started uncertainly. "Ninten?"

Ness threw him an extremely concerned expression. "I think the fever addled his brains."

Claus narrowed his eyes into a squint. "Ninten," he rumbled in a dangerous voice. "It's great that you're awake, but can you _please_ get your hands off my face?"

There was no denying that the soft flesh underneath his palms was real.

Quickly, Ninten removed his hands from Claus's less-than-bemused face. "R-Right," he stammered. "Just checking."

Claus closed his mouth, glancing at Ninten with a surprised look. He had expected Ninten to retort with a witty one-liner, but apparently that had not been the case.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Claus said flatly.

As if on cue, Ninten's shoulders began to shake. In front of their alarmed faces, Ninten began to laugh and cry at the same time. Tears dribbled down his cheeks from the thrill of fright, but he couldn't help but laugh harder because the fact that all his friends were all alive was so _surreal-_

"Ninten!" Shocked, Ness reached out to help, but Ninten slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me!"

All of his friends stared at him.

Backing away, Ninten fumbled for the doorknob behind his back. "G-Give me a minute. I n-need some fresh air-"

"Ninten, not now," Lucas said, eyes darting to the window. "It's starting to snow out-"

The door slammed shut, leaving three boys to stare at each other in bewildered silence.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Heya guys!**

**Uhhhh, so...Remember when I said I was splitting Chapter 19 into two chapters because it was so long? **

**Make that three. **

**In all honesty, I wanted to post everything in one clean swoop, but there's still too much information to be stuffed into one chapter (~15,000 words) - it would definitely mess with the pacing. I apologize for the sudden structure change DX **

**I'm gonna go afk for a while. On Wednesday, I have my first midterm, but if anything, I'll post the third section of Chapter 19 on Friday. There's a particularly intricate dialogue at the end, and I want to look over it one more time. **

**Enjoy this quick-uploading(?) schedule when you can, because I might not update some of the next chapters for a while (A month maybe? Idk, it depends #premedLife). Also, after Chapter 21, we won't be seeing our fav, four protags again until Chapter 24. Chapters 22 and 23 should be refreshing changes in POV...once I get around to posting them. Oops :x**

**But yeah, here's a heaping serving of pure, pretty plot. Thank you for your support, and as always, Happy Reading ~**

* * *

**FalconerET:** Ahhh you flatter me. :) Writing's hard haha. XD But yeah, I had a LOT of fun writing last chapter...it was just a really dramatic chapter in general. And I'm glad you enjoy the flashbacks; I try to tie them into the plot of the story, but sometimes I thought they might've been boring. DX Oh, I didn't know this was the first story that used BuzzBuzz; but I'll make sure to make it the _best_. ;D And wait, I mentioned E#, but Lucas was supposed to sing E instead. I'm not sure how that would change the scale of the song though...Sorry, I'm not educated enough in music. XD

**ConnorTheSpelingPro:** Yeah, my chapters are horribly long...which is why I have to split them all the time XD And thanks, I need that luck for my ochem midterm. :) But I totally understand; I like writing about fictional characters too, because of the whole "characterization" and "world building" scenarios they offer. And as for the corruption present in the flashback...almost everything emotional in this story is based off of something in my life. I went to a public high school, and went to school with several people of high political status. Some of them were nice, but others...not quite so.

And thanks. :) There's a reason for BuzzBuzz's strong personality which we will delve into at...some point (~Chap 24-25?). And yes, glad to see you're liking the little details I add here and there. ;) And interesting idea you have about the whole *I troll everyone and Claus actually lives* theory...but as you know, we'll see. And I agree; crying is cathartic to a certain level. But I think I'm making everyone cry too much in this story, so yeah...oops. :x And I appreciate the criticism; I'll try to see what I can do about fixing character POV consistency, but as you know, Fanfic writing for me is a hobby, and unfortunately, that's the way my style goes. D: But sure! I'll fix the Mr. Saturn speech (lol sorry I killed your eyes)

**NoOneSpecial:**Bruh, your name is a misnomer. ;D But seriously, all joking aside, I really REALLY appreciate your consideration. Like really. Gosh dang it why are all my readers so conscientious asdfghj- But I can say that I'm one lucky cookie. :) And heh, who knows? Claus might not die, and I might be trolling everyone...or am I? ;D IT'S A MYSTERY

Surprisingly, I love chess. I was on a chess team when I was like, really young, so it wasn't anything legit, but yeah, bottom line: it was fun. XD But hey, checkers sounds pretty awesome too! *Sits down and starts playing with you*

**Angel-Woof: **AHHHH *Flips out* Nice to see you too, friend! :D Yeah, I know what you mean; the chapter feels incomplete, and unfortunately, it still is until next chapter. DX Sorryyyyyy But yeah, I LOVE surprising my readers. ;) Of course, I'm crossing my fingers, hoping that my surprises can actually tie back to the plot so I'm not surprising you with meaningless, incoherent snippets of text haha

Yeah; I can visualize the boys having fun writing on Lucas's cast - especially Ninten, that goofball. XD And as for why he "doesn't wanna play chess"...we'll see. ;D And as for the title of the song Lucas was singing...I actually didn't choose one. XD But if it helps, I was listening to Carrie Underwood's "Just a Dream" when writing that segment. Yeah, wow I sound like a hippy XD I listen to different kinds of music to catch the tone and mood of the story haha. And Mr. Saturns FTW! Thank you for the well-wishes, by the way. :) Congrats for actually surviving through ochem haha xD

**DarkFoxKit:**Hehehe...I wonder what Claus has in store for Ninten too... ;D And thanks; I tend to be an emotional writer (I think that's bad lol), but I'm glad you liked it. :) And oh man, who _doesn't_ love those lines? XD _Forgive your hasty brother_...and likewise, as one writer to another, I appreciate your support. :) Happy writing~

**Guest:** Haha thanks! College isn't this stressful...but I'm premed. XD But don't worry, I caught a few more Z's this weekend. :) And lol, it's okay if you laugh at the references; I actually giggled myself when I put in the _Forgive your hasty brother_ because as wonderful as the line is, it was so...cheesy as heck. Like, cheddar-cheese cheesy. And yeah, I probably exaggerated Orange Kid's personality to make it fit better for the story, but hey, that's English. XD And yes, BuzzBuzz is a _he_. At least, he is in this story. XD We'll find out why he's the way he is in...~Chapter 24-25? And hehe what subtle hints? ;D Me? Kill off Claus? We'll have to wait and see. ;D And yeah, Claus, how you gonna wake up Ninten-

And bruh, if anything, I should be thanking _you_ for reading this fic. xD Toodles~

**Plushiepaw:**YES 16 HOURS XD I'm a weirdo haha. But thank you~ But seriously, I didn't know many fics here didn't use BuzzBuzz...gosh dang it I wish I had more time to read Fanfiction T_T And yeah, with the way things are going, I don't think the boys can catch a break...or will they? ;D But yeah, you have a point; the road's only going to get tougher from here *Apologizes profusely to the characters*.

And curious, very curious conjecture you have there about the red herring. Haha can I say that like the way you try to justify it with evidence from earlier chapters (reminds me of my AP English class XD)? I don't know, maybe it's just my sleep-deprived state starting to get to me. But as always, who knows? ;D I ain't spoilin' nothin' until it happens~

**B33BeepBeepMeow:** I kno, righ'? NINTEN CHESS IS AWESOME-

...Or is it? ;D

**CrankySky:** Hmmm Ninten why you say you don't like chess? XD And BuzzBuzz WHY YOU NO ANSWER THE QUESTION-

But yeah, thanks for your consideration. :) I'm afraid that my updating might not be too consistent anymore...but as one writer to another, I really appreciate it. Thank you.

**ReaderGirl23:** Ahh stahp it, you. XD BuzzBuzz was so fun to write haha! But I know what you mean; his appearance is supposed to cause confusion because it's so random. :) But if you start feeling confused later on in the story, then yeah...please let me know. I'd be doing somethin' wrong. :(

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	21. Sunflowers and Illusions

***Update: 10/10/15***

**Sorry about the delay. It's been a rough month, and instead of writing, I've either been studying ochem, or venting off stress through sketching. As a cartoonist, it's a dream hobby of mine to make a webcomic one day.**

**In a strange way, I'm glad I haven't posted the next chapter yet. The last three were fairly rushed (especially chapter 21) because I wanted to chug them all out before my midterms. In short, I ended up sacrificing quality for time: a bad mistake on my part. But don't worry; I'm not making the same mistake twice. And if I still screw up...I have y'all to tell me. :)**

**The next chapter will be up when it's ready. :) Thanks for your consideration as always, and happy reading.**

* * *

**Past:**

_Mom, can you stop buying me shorts?_

_What's wrong with shorts, honey?_

_They make my legs look...I don't know...my legs look skinny and all weird-looking..._

_Weird? I think you look fine, sweet. You're __perfect the way you are._

But neither of his parents notice that the other boys in his grade are taller than him, or have muscles, or at least look like they wouldn't snap into two like a friggin' toothpick. Ninten had gotten the short end of the stick when it came to genetics.

He involuntarily rubbed his sore wrist, then glanced at the silver-plated playground slide. The ugly fourth-grade boy that was his reflection spoke volumes of living with health problems, and Ninten internally cringed. On and on he could list the flaws in his physique. His limbs looked frail, his build was tiny like a child's. His cheeks were pale, a wash of the purest white that never seemed to get any tanner from playing out in the sun, and his complexion resembled that of a corpse.

Bright, familiar laughter caught his ears, and filled with growing trepidation, Ninten shyly peered around the tree trunk, watching the object of his attention in awe.

Ana was swinging across the monkey bars with Paula and Poo at her heels, laughing away in the afternoon breeze of the playground. Poo performed a cool trick, flipping upside down on the monkey bars, and both girls excitedly cheered in new-found enthusiasm. The sunlight lightly kissed Ana's long, delicate hair, making it glint like an iridescent, glowing fountain of red that framed her perfect, pretty features in a fiery curtain.

Ninten's breath hitched in his throat. He wanted to talk to her so desperately, wanted to make her laugh like Poo did. The desire to say _something_ other than silence ached so painfully in his tight, asthmatic ribcage.

_It's just a silly crush, _whispered the nasty voice in the corner of his mind. _Don't do anything stupid._

_Maybe she'll speak if I talk to her. _Optimistic hope stirred in his chest, but that nasty voice brutally shot the thought down.

_She has Poo. Why would Ana even want to talk to a loser like you? _it whispered. _Face it, Ninten, you don't stand a chance. Save your dignity while you can._

Ninten wanted to argue otherwise, that _no, Ana's a nice person and she wouldn't ignore me on purpose, _but deep down, he hated how that nasty voice sounded so reasonable.

Recalling how Poo had made Ana laugh so brightly, Ninten clutched the small daisy more tightly to his throbbing chest. What could _he_ do to make Ana laugh like that?

Popular Poo has the brawn, the brains, _and_ the looks.

But Ninten doesn't have any of those. All he has to offer was his lame humor and weak heart.

Besides, Ninten was frail. Ninten had asthma. Ninten could make things move with his mind.

Ninten was abnormal.

Ana was so much better off without him.

_Then why did it hurt so much?_ His heart leaped into his throat, and Ninten felt like a thousand fluttering butterflies were about to explode out of his chest-

_Don't worry, Ninten._

_You look fine._

_You're perfect the way you are._

Ninten squeezed his eyes shut. He might be a child, but he wondered why adults couldn't be _honest-_

_Everyone is perfect the way they are..._

_But some people are born more perfect than others._

"Hey!" Ness said cheerfully, materializing with a bumbling Pokey at his side. "Watcha lookin' at?"

"N-Nothing!"

"I bet he's watching his _girlfriend _again," Pokey smirked.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Ninten cried, but his traitorous cheeks burned with warmth.

"Girls are pretty," Ness said thoughtfully, making the other two stare at him. In one swift motion, Ness placed a hand on Ninten's shoulder, then lowered his voice. "But my dad said that if you hang out with girls..." Ness's features shifted to a look of genuine fright. "You can catch _cooties_."

"Eww! You've got cooties!" Pokey shrieked, then darted away.

"I don't have cooties!" Ninten squeaked. "I wasn't even looking at her!"

Ness laughed, then dragged him over to the baseball field. "'Course you weren't. You're too cool to catch cooties."

And as his closest friend chattered at his side, Ninten couldn't help but take a last glimpse of his crush.

_I'll make you laugh one day, Ana. I promise._

Ninten knew that he wasn't the strongest, nor the smartest, nor even the most normal fourth-grade boy. He's far from perfect.

But that gave him all the more reason to try.

* * *

**Present:**

Ninten ran.

He ran until his lungs burned, then panting heavily, stopped, doubling over on his knees. Choking and gasping, he shuddered, then buried his head in his hands in a sob.

_"Ninten, I don't want to hurt you..._

_But if you continue to oppose me..._

_Your precious friends will pay with their lives."_

The snow fell around him in soft curtains, enveloping the valley in a peaceful, cozy blanket. Odd, little cottages surrounded him in a warm glow, and occasionally, an alien-looking creature with stubby legs would walk past, murmur **"ᗩᗰ ᗰᖇ. ᔕᗩTᑌᖇᑎ,"** then throw him a sad look.

But Ninten couldn't care less. He choked out terrible, rib-racking sobs, squeezing out his tears in a torrent of pain. Ninten rarely let anything bother him; with all his optimism, he couldn't remember the last time he'd cried, and here he was now, bawling his eyes out in the snow.

Gods, he was already so weak and frail to begin with.

Now, all his friends probably thought he was a loser.

Sounds of someone approaching crunched behind him. Sniffling, Ninten turned around with red-rimmed eyes. Soft, blond-tufted hair met his line of vision.

Lucas.

Ninten plastered a feeble smile on his face, mouth open and ready to spout out an excuse. "Hey," he said in feeble bravado. "I like the, uh, weather. It's like all snowy and, and...snowy."

"Ninten-"

"Leave me alone, Lucas," he spat shakily.

For several moments, they regarded each other in silence. Then, appraising Ninten's hunched form, Lucas crouched down beside him. If the blond noticed the tears sliding down his friend's face, he didn't mention it.

"Claus and Ness wanted to go out looking for you as well, but I figured you'd rather be alone."

Despite his rattled state, Ninten couldn't help but let out a snort. "I'm surprised Claus let you out in this weather. He's, like, your full-time babysitter."

Lucas tensed up. "Claus might be my twin," he said carefully. "But that doesn't mean I can't make decisions on my own, Ninten."

Ninten closed his mouth, catching the silent rebuke. His ears flushed a deep crimson in embarrassment. "Sorry."

Lucas looked mortified at his own outburst. "No, _I'm_ sorry," he muttered, abashed. "I didn't mean to say that-"

"Nah, I totally had that coming." Absentmindedly rubbing his bare arms, Ninten guiltily averted his gaze to the ground. "How are you holding up?" he mumbled. "I mean, you were kinda loopy the last time we actually talked..."

Lucas's features softened. "I'm doing fine, 'Ten. Thanks for asking." He studied him carefully. "But I think the question is...are you?"

Ninten recalled his Uncle's warning. Illusions of his dead friends popped into his mind, and Ninten lowered his head. "I'm afraid I'm not, Lucas," he said quietly. The admission stung. "...I'm afraid I'm not."

**_"There's been a traitor planted within your midst, and you don't even know who it is!"_**

_No. _Ninten closed his eyes. _It can't be true...I've known Ness for a bazillion years, and it can't be the twins because they know Giygas is after them._

_Who is the traitor? Is there even a traitor?_

There was a rustle on snow as Lucas shifted slightly besides him. Even as Ninten kept his eyes averted towards the icy ground, he felt those blue eyes quietly watch the falling snow.

_Why am I doubting my friends? Is this what Giygas wants?_ Ninten shuddered, then hugged his knees tighter._ Ugh, I don't know what to think anymore._

Lucas waited. His patience was rewarded. After a minute of silence, Ninten abruptly broke into speech.

"Do you ever get the feeling that we're just insignificant specks in the universe? Like it hits you, like BAM - nothing we do on this planet matters in the end?" Ninten kicked a stone. "Why care at all if we're all gonna die anyways?"

Sad blue eyes so different from his uncle's flickered to his face. "We care," Lucas said gently. "Because it's what gives our lives purpose."

Ninten laughed bitterly. "Well, that's stupid." He flopped onto his back. "What's the point? It hurts to care. I don't want to care."

"That's when you gotta push through. If you can't push through, then you've already failed at life."

Wow.

Wiping away the tears with his sleeve, Ninten rolled his eyes. "And I thought Claus was brutally honest."

Lucas breathed deeply into the chilly atmosphere. "If it makes you feel better, you take in bad news better than I do."

"Really?"

"Really." His breath spiraled into the fresh, cold air like smoke. "Several years ago, I blamed myself for my mom's death. She died to save me and my brother. My mom pushed us out of the way of a truck. I was closest to the point of impact. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't even be sitting here today."

Ninten stared at him in disbelief. "You saw her die?"

"I did."

"...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't your fault."

Ninten clenched his jaw. "Life's unfair."

Lucas laughed quietly. "Maybe you're right. Maybe life's unfair. Maybe life's just a crazy way of saying _Hey look, I'm not dead yet._" He paused, tracing swirly patterns in the snow. "But if it makes you feel better, at least you're not grueling it out alone."

"..."

"So..." Lucas slowly offered him his hand. "Feel like giving another shot at life?"

Ninten stared at the proffered hand. "You're crazy, Lucas." But he grasped it anyways, feeling his own lips slowly curve upwards into a small smile. "What the heck, why not?"

Lucas quietly hummed in satisfaction. "I like those odds."

Ninten playfully cocked an eyebrow. "And y'know what they say about odds."

For the first time during their dialogue, Lucas looked vastly confused. "What?"

"Don't ask me. I don't _even_ know! Geddit? Because-"

"Ninten."

"Hey, what can I say? Bad puns are _awesome."_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Claus, stop fidgeting. They're probably fine."

"I'm not worried."

Knowing not to fight a losing battle, Ness anxiously checked his watch. "It's been twenty minutes...Do you think Ninten knocked himself out again?"

Claus stiffly paced back and forth on the threshold, occasionally peering through the window. "I hope not."

Both of them jumped when the door swung open. Wet sneakers squeaked into the house. Two snow-clad boys entered the cottage, shivering violently against the cold.

It was as if they had flicked on a switch; leaping onto his feet, Ness wrestled the door shut against the howling blizzard while Claus dragged the two into the house.

"What the hell were you thinking, taking off like that, Ninten?!" Claus started angrily, wrapping his jacket around the younger teen's shoulders. "Do you have a fucking death wish?"

Lucas grinned sheepishly, handing Ninten a spare blanket. "Sorry, Claus. We just lost track of time."

Looking quite miffed himself, Ninten opened his mouth to retort, but unexpectedly froze. A funny expression adorned his face, but before any of them could comment on it, Ninten violently sneezed. A soft, high-pitched _eschew_ escaped from his lips.

Snorting, Claus did his best not to laugh.

"Bless you," Lucas said politely.

"'danks." Ninten rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Geez, calm your shit, Claus-"

But Claus only crossed his arms. "I want an explanation." His eyes roamed over them, and Ninten winced. "But first, I think you owe me an explanation yourself, Lucas."

Lucas blinked. "An explanation?"

Ninten glanced over in confusion. "Did I miss something?" The foreign setting finally registered. Surprise dawned on his features. "Where are we?"

"Saturn Valley. Lucas hasn't told us how he met the Mr. Saturn." Catching Lucas's betrayed expression, Ness raised his arms up in surrender. "I mean, you _did_ promise to tell us," he added with a frown. "And I'm kinda surprised you didn't."

"I forgot," Lucas admitted.

"You _forgot_ that you met a stubby, two-footed creature whose body is literally its head," Claus said sarcastically. He looked completely unconvinced.

Catching his expression, Lucas winced. "Does it matter _how_ I met them?"

Ness shrugged. "Not really. We're just curious."

"I still want to know," Claus said flatly.

Oh boy.

Feeling three sets of eyes on him, Lucas felt his palms sweat. "So...uh...remember that time I went missing when you all went chasing after the Mecha-lion?"

Everyone grimaced simultaneously.

"Yeah," Ness said with a wince. "Way to guilt-trip us, Lucas."

Lucas flushed in embarrassment. "No, I mean...I, uh...I kind of stumbled into a Mr. Saturn because..." He mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath. "...an...mayormaynot...ide...iff."

Ninten blinked. "I didn't catch the last part. You said something about a cliff-"

"YOU CLIMBED OVER A _CLIFF?!"_ Claus exclaimed. Brotherly senses kicking in, Claus marched over, patting Lucas down with his hands. "Where does it hurt? Are you feeling ill?" Worried, Claus felt his brother's forehead. "You do feel a little hot-"

"I'm not sick!" Lucas protested, trying to push him off. "See, I didn't want to talk about it because I _knew_ you'd fuss over me-"

Claus looked at him as if he were crazy. "WELL, OF COURSE I WOULD!"

"It's not worth fussing over-"

"YOU CLIMBED OVER A FUCKING CLIFF! How can I _not_ freak out over that?!"

"I swear, it only took like, _two_ seconds!"

"That's what _you _think!"

Lucas groaned. "Claus..."

Indignantly, Claus puffed up his cheeks, then crossed his arms. "See, _this_ is why I can't let you out of my sight! The minute I step away, you're either off getting yourself high, saving weirdos from cliffs, or...or _throwing yourself in front of drunk drivers_!"

"The last one doesn't count!"

"Wait, what?" Ness looked at Lucas in horror. "Is that what _really_ happened earlier in the school year? Did you actually throw yourself in front of MOVING CAR?!"

"No," Lucas said, face flushed red in mortification.

Catching the stubborn look on Ness's face, Claus sighed, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Here's the five-second version of the accident. Lucas saw me standing on the road. That's why he climbed over the school fence."

"Really?" Ness frowned. "Claus, I'm pretty sure that you were playing baseball with us the entire time."

"EXACTLY. Thank you!" Claus snapped his fingers. "That's the point. Neither of our accounts match up. For some reason, Lucas remembers me standing on the road."

Ness furrowed his eyebrows. "...Lucas, I'm pretty sure that Claus was playing baseball with us."

Lucas rubbed his head. "The accident could have messed up my memories," he said quietly. "I still don't remember much from that day. If only there was some way for me to remember what happened-"

"You can," Ninten said suddenly.

Claus snapped his head up. "How?"

"Telepathy. If Lucas shares his memory with us, we could tell him what felt out of place."

Lucas's breath hitched in his throat. "Really?"

"Of course." Ninten sat up, cracking his knuckles. "Man, it's been a while since I've done something like this-"

"But how would it _work_?" Claus asked impatiently. "We've all been able to speak telepathically. How is sharing memories any different?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's isn't." Ninten shrugged. "I guess it works the same way as speaking. You just...let it go."

Claus slow-clapped. "That's some _five-star advice _right there."

Ninten punched him in the shoulder. "Shut up, you jerk."

"What's next? Are you going to tell us to take a deep breath and let the magic flow?"

"No, Claus. This isn't yoga. Get on with the program," Ninten said irritably. "_Telepathy_ is the art of _syncing_."

"Sinking?" Ness repeated.

"Syncing with a _C_, not a _K_," Ninten corrected. He gave a mischievous smirk. "Heh. See what I did there, Ness? A _K_? _Uh_-kay? _OKAY_?"

Ness roared with laughter, and Claus threw them an incredibly exasperated look. "Can we stop fooling around and get to the point?"

"Spoilsport," Ninten muttered under his breath, but upon catching sight of Claus's irritated expression, hastily moved on. "So yeah, basically, if you want to sync with someone, you have to, you know, get intimate."

Lucas looked rather uncomfortable. "Get intimate?"

Claus wrinkled his nose. "Ew, no."

"I didn't mean to say it like that!" Ninten defended, turning a beet red. "I mean, well for starters, it's easier to telepathize the closer you are to someone."

"Physically?" Claus asked warily.

"Yeah. Direct contact usually works best. It also helps if you happen to be related." Ninten indicated towards his forehead. "It'd be incredibly uncomfortable for us to touch temples altogether, so I guess holding hands should work fine. No homo."

Claus rolled his eyes. "You don't have to lie."

Ninten paused in confusion. "Huh?"

"Ninten, none of us give a shit about your sexual orientation. Seriously, you don't need to cook up some cock-and-bull story just to tell us you're gay-"

"GODDAMNIT, CLAUS! I'M NOT GAY!" Ninten yelled indignantly, his ears a bright red.

"You said holding hands works fine-"

"I SAID, NO HOMO!"

Claus smirked. "Don't deny it. You just want to hold hands with someone because you never stood a chance with Ana."

Lucas internally winced at his friend's hurt expression.

"Claus," Ness intervened, furrowing his eyebrows. "Not cool."

Claus rolled his eyes. "I was just kidding, Ness. Loosen up." However, Claus spouted a sly smirk, then gleefully cupped his hands over his mouth. "Ninten's GAAAAAY-"

Looking extremely pissed off, Ninten looked about two seconds away from punching Claus in the face, but Ness hastily intervened before the "let's-sock-Claus-in-the-face" tally could rise to two.

"Let's get this over with," Ness interrupted, quickly throwing a side-glance at Lucas.

Thankfully, the blond got the gist. Lucas nervously sat down. "So, uh, is there a special way we need to hold hands?"

"No." Shooting Claus a last glower, Ninten spoke through gritted teeth. "WE. JUST. HOLD. HANDS."

"Which sounds pretty cool," Lucas added, shooting Claus a silent warning.

Rolling his eyes, Claus ignored him. "Oh, _goodie_. Let's hold hands around a campfire and sing Kum-ba-yah-"

"If you don't want to join, then sod off," Ninten snapped testily. "I'm serious, Claus. Visual Telepathy is _extremely_ sensitive, because sharing memories is much harder than speaking. We can't disrupt Lucas's concentration with too many thoughts."

"Yeah. I know, I know." Claus crouched down sullenly. "I was just kidding."

"You're forgiven." Ninten closed his eyes, settling into his domain. "No more talking. Okay...let's try this. Breathe in. Breathe out. Good, good. Now, hold hands with whoever's sitting next to you - yes, like that."

In a rustle of movement, they awkwardly extended their arms to clasp each other's palms. With Ness on his right and Claus on his left, Lucas intertwined his numb fingers with theirs, trying to ignore how stupid he felt.

Exhaling a deep breath (_Drama Queen,_ Claus muttered), Ninten gave a curt nod. "Lucas, whenever you're ready."

Lucas closed his eyes. At first, he saw nothing except for the occasional ocular vein pulsating beneath his eyelid. But there was something else in the corner of his mind, a glowing door that had yet to be explored. Lucas tugged it open. Like a curious crowd, a rush of foreign thoughts rapidly flooded in, and Lucas strained not to lose himself in the babble of voices.

_This feels so weird,_ Claus commented as soon as his mind slid into the empty movie theater. _It's like we're talking...but not talking at the same time._

_I know what you mean, _Ness agreed.

_Guys, keep it down, _Ninten whispered. _You're doing great, Lucas. R__elax. You're tensing up too much._

Lucas corrected his stance. He breathed in deeply. "Here goes nothing."

A spark of blue. Then the world melted and transformed around them.

A flow of memories blurred past in a swirl of indistinguishable colors and sounds. Like a rollercoaster, they tumbled through the mental highway of thoughts, catching meaningless snatches of past settings and memories.

_"You must make a choice. __You must make a choice_. _You must make a choice_..."

_"I love you," Hinawa said._

_"Stay safe," Flint said._

_"Oreos," Ninten said._

Finally the background solidified. The school building erected itself brick by brick in a flurry of flying particles. Students materialized in a shower of thought matter. All four boys blinked, standing in the memory of that fateful day.

Two boys caught their attention by the fence.

Pokey and Lucas.

Staring at the smirking past illusion of his former friend, Ness tightly gripped his fists. Likewise next to him, his companions looked none too happy to be reliving the memory. Ninten narrowed his eyes into sharp slits.

"You were playing dodgeball with _Pokey?" _Claus hissed in disbelief, burning holes into the memory.

"Oh. I guess I was," Lucas said, watching the film in surprise.

Ninten chewed on his lip. "Is there any way we could rewind the memory earlier?"

Closing his eyes, Lucas strained his mind. Miserably, he shook his head. "That's the earliest I can go that day."

Shaking his head, Ness crossed his arms. "Your memory's been corrupted. That's unfortunate."

"Whatever it is, you must have walked into something important," Ninten claimed, furrowing his eyebrows. "We came up with several theories over your accident. Pokey was working for Giygas, so I have a feeling that you accidentally walked in on them doing something suspicious. Giygas must have gotten Pokey to lead you off their trail. But I still don't understand where Claus comes in..."

They returned their attention to the unfolding memory.

Lucas's past self looked awfully flushed, although that could be attributed to the fact that he just had run several meters with a dodgeball in his hand.

"PSI fever," Lucas clarified quietly, making all of his friends jump in surprise.

"Damn. No wonder you were in critical condition," Ninten said, pointing at Lucas's exhausted double. "It looks like your fever hiked up."

"And Pokey keeps staring over your shoulder," Ness suddenly said.

At his words, they turned around. Ness was right; every now and then from their game of catch, Pokey would glance surreptitiously over Lucas's shoulder at the road. Lucas, with his back to the fence, didn't seem to have noticed Pokey's antics.

_"Hey, dweeb,"_ Pokey broke out. He pointed at the road. _"Isn't that your brother?"_

Lucas's past self turned around. His eyes widened in surprise. _"Claus?"_

"No way," Claus breathed. The ginger looked lost for words, staring stupidly at his replica, which was waving cheekily at them from the middle of the road.

Ninten looked equally horrified. "No..._he wouldn't-_"

But Lucas's past self began to speak, and they immediately quieted down.

_"Claus!"_

_"What?" _the doppelganger innocently asked, flashing them a horrifyingly accurate likeness of Claus's mischievous smirk. "_Ness hit a home run__ over the fence-"_

_"You're going to get in trouble!"_ Lucas hissed, anxiously glancing to the side. "_Hurry back before Coach notices-"_

_"__I know, I know." _The illusion waved him off impatiently, then peered into a shrub. "_I_ _won't take long. Once I find the damn ball, we'll be good-"_

_"Please, Claus,"_ Lucas begged desperately._ "Seeing you standing there makes me uncomfortable. We'll get the ball back another time. I'm sure Coach will understand. Climb back!"_

"Claus" slyly threw him a look. _"Why don't you make me?"_

Without missing a beat, Pokey quickly jumped into the conversation. _"Lucas, go get your idiot brother out of the road before he gets himself rolled over." _The chubby boy snatched the dodgeball from Lucas's hands. _"I'll stay here and keep an eye out for Coach Strong."_

Filled with growing trepidation, the four of them intently watched as Lucas's past self slowly dragged himself over the fence, all the while sending desperate pleas to his twin, which "Claus" promptly ignored.

But as soon as Lucas's feet grazed the sidewalk on the other side, they caught sight of a flash of red down the corner of the street.

A wayward truck.

To their collective horror, the shrill noise quickly grew louder into a grating roar. The vehicle barreled down the harsh cement in a deafening squeal of rubber tires, closing in at an alarmingly fast rate; it plowed down the rocky terrain in fierce abandon, directly barging towards the giggling doppelganger.

_"CLAUS!" _Lucas screamed, bolting towards him. _"CAR! Behind you!"_

The doppelganger only laughed, his form piercingly illuminated by the headlights of the car. _"Nice try, Lucas. I'm not falling for it!"_

None of them needed watch what happened next.

A hand snatched out, ready to pull the doppleganger aside by the shirt...

But Lucas's fingers had sailed straight through the illusion. Blue eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened.

Then with an awful _screech_, the fender of the car brutally buried itself into his side.

The forceful impact knocked the poor boy into the air like a rag doll. Lucas winced as he watched his body crunch straight onto the windshield before noisily tumbling off the roof of the truck onto the ground.

Vaguely registering the drunk driver bolting out of his truck to flee in panic, Lucas spoke up in disappointment. "I think this is where the memory ends." He turned around. "Should we get...oh."

His voice died at his brother's expression.

Claus's face was a sickly, pale white.

Lucas followed his twin's blank stare, then winced again. He'd known how bad his injuries had been, but up close, the wounds seemed much worse.

His own battered body was caved in at the point of impact. Both legs were twisted underneath his form in grotesque, inhuman angles.

Worst of all, his eyes were still open, gazing into the sky with an awfully blank look.

In short, Lucas looked _dead_.

Alarmed, Lucas lost concentration and cut the unnerving memory short. Colors flew and swirled around them in a roar of confusion, then blinking in disorientation, they were back underneath the starry cottage roof of Saturn Valley.

Claus carried the expression of someone whose arm had been savagely ripped off by a bloodthirsty Drago. Next to him, Ninten didn't fare any better, looking as if someone had bashed in his skull with a porcelain lamp. Even Ness seemed extremely disturbed; his eyes feebly flickered back and forth as if he had just witnessed his worst nightmare.

Registering their distraught emotions, Lucas's expression softened. "Guys," he said gently. "It's only a memory-"

"You have no idea, Lucas." Ness gave a shaky laugh. "You were knocked out. It might've just been a memory, but with the EMT arriving on scene and all...you gave us a big scare that day."

"Oh." Lucas swallowed hard. "...Sorry."

"Why the hell are you sorry?" Claus finally spoke. His snarky voice sounded unusually subdued. "Don't be."

"To be honest...I snuck into the hospital alone several times to heal your injuries, Lucas," Ness spoke quietly. "Ninten told me that he did the same, but-"

"Most of your critical wounds were already gone. Your body must've healed itself," Ninten finished, staring at the ceiling. "You were extremely lucky, Lucas. There's a reason PSI users have a high mortality rate. Many of us die during our Awakening."

Lucas paled. "Why?"

"PSI fever. Can't be healed by any means, magical or otherwise." Ninten shifted uneasily. "If you didn't recover from your other injuries in time, then there was a pretty good chance that you might've even died."

"Dude, don't scare him," Ness defended with a frown, noting Lucas's blank expression. "So, uh, Lucas...what's up with that illusion?"

Lucas stared at his hands. "I don't know," he admitted quietly. "I don't remember eating anything funny that day-"

"I think it was Giygas."

All eyes flew to the youngest teen.

"Are you sure?" Ness pressed.

"When I was unconscious, he talked to me," Ninten said, looking slightly nauseous. "He can create illusions."

Claus stiffened up. "No way."

"I think he's gone insane. It's almost like he's possessed. His mind was unraveling. I don't know if something else is messing with his thoughts, but he's dead-set on believing that my dead great grandmother's not, well...dead..."

Ness threw him a cautious look. "How do you know? Maybe it's an act to throw you off-guard-"

"It wasn't an act. Trust me, Ness. I'm sure. But whatever the reason, Giygas wants both of you badly," Ninten said, turning towards the twins. _"Real _badly."

Claus exchanged a troubled look with his brother. "How badly?"

"I would say that on a scale from one to ten..." Ninten laughed without mirth. "Out of the ball park."

A look of utter horror dawned on his face; Claus returned to staring at the floor. "...Damn."

Lucas lowered his head. "You guys should return home," he spoke quietly. "Giygas wants us, not you."

"Hell no! We're not starting this again!" Ness suddenly said, leaping to his feet. "I have PK Rockin'. It's strong enough to fend him off. If he finds us, then I can buy us enough time. When I distract him, all of you can sneak back to the city and hang low-"

"You against him? Forget about it. Giygas is too powerful," Ninten laughed in a hollow voice. "He's my uncle. If you lead the others home, then I could try to reason with him-"

"Reasoning with an insane loony won't get you anywhere," Claus said, clenching his fists. "If Giygas wants someone with PK Love, then _fine,_ let him have it! I'll turn myself in!"

Ninten and Ness countered him furiously.

"NO! Claus, that's exactly what he _wants-"_

"You're insane if you think we're going to let _you_ leave the village-"

A sudden crackle of blue light drew their attention. The squabble ceased.

Lucas stood in the center of the room, a halo of glowing blue hexagons shimmering in his right palm. The light illuminated his pale features, reflecting against his bright, baby-blue eyes.

"Claus is right. Giygas wants someone with PK Love." Lucas's irises shone in despair. "But you haven't been able to use PK Love, Claus. _I have."_

"Shut up, Lucas!" Claus countered angrily. "I can _too _use PK Love!"

Lucas stared at him with an unusually strained expression. "Prove it."

With the silent challenge having been uttered, all eyes fell upon the elder twin.

"Y-Yeah, fine! Maybe I will." Swallowing down his trepidation, Claus raised his arms, but despite his best efforts, his hands shook in uncontrollable spasms. "PK Love!"

Blue sparks flickered feebly in his fingers before dying.

"SHUT UP! I can do it!" Claus shouted, staving off his dread. "PK Love!"

Nothing happened.

"THAT ONE DIDN'T COUNT! PK Love!"

Still nothing.

"PK LOVE!"

Not even a spark.

"I SAID, _PK LOVE_, GODDAMMIT!" Claus screamed. "PK LO-"

"Stop it, Claus!" Lucas choked horribly on twisted guilt. "It's my fault. It's because of me. I'm so sorry I dragged you into this, guys, I really am-"

All of them opened their mouths to argue, but Claus beat them to it.

"Don't say it!" Claus clenched his jaw. "DON'T YOU DARE SAY WHAT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SAY-"

"Claus," Lucas strained in a weak voice. "As long as I stay here, I'm putting you all in danger-"

"SHUT UP! You're staying, and it's final!"

"But what if it's the only way-"

Claus advanced on him with a murderous expression on his face. "Lucas, don't make me angry," he warned in a dangerously low tone. Clenching his fists, his voice quickly escalated into a deafening clamor. "DON'T FORCE ME TO MAKE YOU STAY!"

"THEN MAKE ME!" Lucas burst out angrily, looking extremely defiant as he stared up into his brother's furious face. "I'm just as capable of protecting people, Claus! So why is it only okay for _you_ to sacrifice yourself? Why won't you let me do the same for you, _Claus_?!"

Claus stared at him.

Then a frustrated howl of agony escaped from his cracked lips.

Breaking down completely, Claus let loose a deafening cry like a tortured animal, all reason lost, then sent his fist sailing towards his brother's head. Lucas flinched, but at the very last minute, the palm sailed around him by a wide arc and slammed against the wall. The wall noisily caved in at the point of impact with a nasty _crunch, _shattering and cracking the crisp plaster into a shockingly webbed crater.

The elder twin finally exploded.

"Damn it, Lucas! _Why do you keep doing this to me?!_" Claus screamed, tearing viciously at his hair. He whipped his head around, and they were shocked to see angry tear tracks trailing down his face. "_WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU AGAIN?!_"

Lucas froze.

No one dared to say a word.

Then a snarky voice interrupted the proceedings. "Go fix the past, they said. It'll be _easy_, they said."

Time unfroze, and as one, all of them whipped around. BuzzBuzz stared back at them in utter agitation. "Man...You guys are a mess, aren't you?"

They lowered their heads in shame. Lucas averted his eyes to the ground; Claus scowled, but said nothing more, angrily wiping away tears from his face.

Ninten looked up in confusion. "Who's that?"

Realizing that Ninten had not been introduced yet, Ness hunched over uncomfortably. "Oh," he muttered under his breath. "He's our…uh…"

"Fairy god-mother," BuzzBuzz answered sarcastically. "Oh, don't mind me, I'm just your local bodyguard sent ten years into the past to make sure you guys don't _screw up_ the world again. I could care less about your lives."

"Really?" Ninten asked innocently. "I couldn't have guessed it myself."

BuzzBuzz sighed, flickering back and forth. "Listen. At this point, it's safer if you all stay together. Yes, I know-" he said in exasperation, cutting Ninten off before the latter could speak. "I _know_ Giygas is your uncle. I _know_ Giygas is after you two-" he pointed at Lucas and Claus. "Great glorps, did you think I _couldn't_ hear you panicking like a herd of stampeding sheep? Mother Maria, how did you even stay alive for this long?"

"Thanks, BuzzBuzz," Ness muttered.

"I'm not going to lie. We're in a bit of a fuzzy pickle," BuzzBuzz continued matter-of-factly. "But if you stick together, you have a higher chance of survival. Even though you all are, admittedly, oversensitive teenagers sharing a pathetic excuse of a brain cell-"

Ninten looked hurt. "Oversensitive teenagers?"

"Pathetic excuse of a brain cell?" Claus said indignantly. "Who the hell do you think _you_ are-"

BuzzBuzz gave him a look. Because he was so tiny, it was hard to make out his expression, but Claus caught the gist.

"…Right," Claus muttered. "Time-traveling fairy god-mother."

Breathing deeply, BuzzBuzz took off his miniscule helmet. His tiny fingers fiddled idly with his kerchief. "Look, I appreciate your noble acts of selflessness, but there's no need for a suicidal sacrifice. Stick together. Safety in numbers. Trust me. By now, all of you are formidable foes. Giygas would have to think twice before messing with you."

Then as if to counteract this boost of confidence, BuzzBuzz's features knitted into a scowl. "That doesn't mean we're going to have a happy ending," he snapped. "Knowing all of you, _someone's_ going to get butthurt - _LIKE RIGHT NOW_ \- and get us all killed. "

He glared pointedly at the twins.

"No, we won't!" Came the simultaneous protest. Lucas and Claus whipped around, staring at each other in shock before quickly turning their heads away.

Ninten studied BuzzBuzz curiously, drawing in to squint at the fairy-like person. "Are you _sure_ we've never met? You look _really_ familiar..."

"Irrelevant," BuzzBuzz grunted. "Now, before I lose my sanity, do we have any new leads on Giygas?"

They all shared a doubtful glance.

BuzzBuzz sighed, dragging a palm down his face. "Look, I know you don't trust me, and that's fine. But I can't exactly save your necks if I'm in the dark. My timeline diverged from yours a while back. Fill me in."

Reluctantly, Ninten fished out a dirty, crumpled piece of paper. "I found this at the facility."

Snatching the wrinkled paper into his hands, BuzzBuzz smoothed it out, and studied it with a frown.

**_"The disease is resistant to PSI. Any attempts to heal the suffering victim with PSI Life UP or PSI Healing is temporary. Death is inevitable..."_**

**_"...She is growing weaker by the day. I can feel it. Every night, I sit by her bedside, clutching her hand, and her pulse grows ever weaker. She is dying, and there is nothing I can do to stop it..."_**

**_"...Seven Needles. The Shaman mentioned that the tremendous power needed to pull a Needle stems straight from the heart, which explains why only PK Love users are destined for such a task..."_**

**_"...under New Pork City..."_**

**_"George told me that my nephew, Ninten, can also use PSI. This is it. This is the moment the Shaman had been speaking of. I must find another job to blend in, to keep a closer eye on this remarkable generation of people in this city..."_**

BuzzBuzz paused, his gaze glued to the bottom of the page. "This is bad. Hell, it's a bigger problem than I thought."

"Why?"

BuzzBuzz shoved the piece of paper back into the bewildered boy's hands. Startled, Ninten looked up into a pair of surprisingly warm, brown eyes.

Something seemed to click between them.

The time traveler suddenly winced, turning away with a pained grimace. "Stupid, future-past alterations giving me headaches...Damn it, what the hell did you all do now, Ninten?"

"Giygas isn't thinking straight," Ninten said quietly. "He might even be innocent."

"Maybe. Maybe not." BuzzBuzz scowled. "I can't tell. My brain needs _time_ to catch up to the aftermath of your events, and _dang_ _it,_ in the first five seconds I've met you, all of you are already making my job _extremely_ complicated!"

"What's going on?" Ness asked, feeling very lost.

"You wanna know what's going on, Ness? Five words." BuzzBuzz counted off with his fingers. "I. Have. No. Fucking. Idea."

"Well, that's mighty helpful of you," Claus said sarcastically.

"Can it, gingersnaps." BuzzBuzz paced around. "I need time for all of your stupid time alterations to catch up to my brain, but it looks like Giygas is getting desperate-"

"Desperate for what?"

"...and if he manages to pull the Seventh Needle, then it's _Game Over_ for us," BuzzBuzz muttered, ignoring him completely. Snapping his head up, BuzzBuzz jabbed a finger towards the window. "I'm changing the subject; it's turning stale. Do you all see that waterfall in the distance?"

Ness cocked an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with-"

"Answer the question!"

"...Yeah?"

"That's Grapefruit Falls."

Ninten's face blanched. "_What?_"

BuzzBuzz crossed his arms in a scowl. "While you four have been screaming it out, I've been talking to the Mr. Saturn about our location. Apparently, above that waterfall lives a rather strange man the Mr. Saturn fear. His name is..." BuzzBuzz's eyes flickered to Ninten's. "The Shaman."

All four teens reacted at once.

"He's the Shaman? Like, _The_ Shaman?" Ninten stammered, glancing at the piece of paper in his own hands. "Then-"

"Great!" Ness's eyes lit up. "According to this journal entry, he knows what's going on!" He abruptly stood up, waving his arms excitedly. "What are we all waiting for? Let's plan out a route to Grapefruit Falls and ask for-"

_"Absolutely not."_

"But he knows the answers to everything!" Ninten said indignantly. "The quicker we consult him, the better!"

"Haven't your parents taught you anything?" BuzzBuzz jabbed a finger into the paper. "_Don't talk to strangers!_ This isn't some handy dandy field trip to the mall - this is a seriousexcursion that could spell LIFE or DEATH. Are you going to invest your trust into a man you've never even met before?!"

"You're one to talk!" Ness said hotly. "You haven't told us anything since you've arrived! How can we trust you? We don't even _know_ you!"

BuzzBuzz waved away his words. "Well then, you're _wrong_, because I know you _very_ well. There, point moot. Geezus," BuzzBuzz grunted, fisting his own hair into knots. "If you're going to debate, at least make your claims reasonable. But whatever, I'm giving you four the bottom line: No one is trekking up to see this _Shaman _until_ I _give the say so. I have a bad feeling about him, and I'd rather not wake up one morning to save your sorry hides."

"But-"

_"NO."_

"BuzzBuzz think again-" Ninten started.

"Think again? Two words, Ninten. Two words: HELL. NO." BuzzBuzz glared at them. "End of story. You want me to say it again? HELL. NO. Now, does anyone else have a problem with this decision?"

They all looked like they certainly had a problem with it, but glancing at BuzzBuzz's intimidating scowl, the four teens reluctantly settled into simmering silence.

Who knew that a miniature speck of a man could be so intimidating?

"Good. Ness, heal that god-awful burn on your leg," BuzzBuzz said, turning around. "Now everyone out. Get some sleep. You all need it."

As they sullenly filed out of the living room, Claus halted when a telekinetic hand clamped onto his shoulder.

"Not you."

Claus quirked a bemused eyebrow in response.

In exasperation, BuzzBuzz ran a thin hand through his unruly, black hair. "Come with me," he finally said. "We need to talk."

Without awaiting his response, the tiny pixie-man floated through the now-open window.

After a moment of hesitation, Claus reluctantly followed suit.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The blizzard seemed to have cleared. Soft snowflakes floated down and melted at their feet in a frozen puddle. Shutting the door, Claus shivered, and hugged himself in warmth.

BuzzBuzz breathed in deeply. "I've forgotten how beautiful the starry night looks," he sighed rather fondly. "Everything is so goddamn black and red in the future."

"Are you dragging me out to tell me about your hippy love for nature?" Claus said sullenly, clearly not in a good mood. "Go talk to someone else."

BuzzBuzz's eyebrows scrunched into a deep frown. "You want to make this difficult, don't you?"

Claus said nothing.

"Fine, I'll get to the point," BuzzBuzz said flatly. "You wanna know something, Claus? You're an asshole."

"Gee, thanks! I know!" Claus snarled, crossing his arms. "Save the lecture, I'm going to bed-"

"Will you let me finish?!"

Claus shut up.

"Good. As I was saying, you're an asshole." BuzzBuzz raised his eyebrows, daring Claus to interrupt, but the ginger only fumed in simmering silence. "Strangely enough, your heart's in the right place-"

Claus rolled his eyes. "Thanks."

"-WHICH IS _BAD_!" BuzzBuzz bellowed, making Claus jump from the sudden volume. The PSI veteran crossed his arms in a disapproving scowl. "Look, Claus, we're in a war. And in a war, do you know what gets you killed? NOT THINKING. And unfortunately, you tend to do a whole crap ton of that whenever your twin's stuck in peril."

"I GET IT!" Claus clenched his fists. "Lucas gets into trouble, and I'm shitty at protecting him! What's your point?!"

"Think, Claus - _THINK._ First, Giygas tried to run your brother over with a drunk driver. When he realized that you two could be useful, he blackmailed you by strangling him. Then at the research facility...need I explain? There's a pattern here, Claus. Giygas sees it. Do you?"

"...Lucas is accident-prone?"

"CLAUS, THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE!" BuzzBuzz exploded, nearly blowing his top. "Giygas wants to rattle you!"

"I don't get it."

"What's there not to get?!"

"Why would be _want_ to rattle me?"

BuzzBuzz's face darkened, drawing serious shadows slanting across his face. "Giygas is a madman. He will take absolute pleasure in inflicting ANY sort of pain he can onto the four of you. THAT MEANS YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE HIM THE SATISFACTION OF LETTING HIM TOY WITH YOUR FEELINGS!" BuzzBuzz bellowed, jabbing a finger into the teen's chest. "Once Lucas is in danger, ZIP - your mind goes blank and YOUR BRAIN FLIES OUT THE GODDAMN WINDOW. That makes _you_ vulnerable to his whims!"

"Oh, is that a problem now?" Claus laughed sarcastically. "My bad, I'm _so_ sorry for actually caring about the one person who _doesn't_ think I'm an asshole. Here, let me waltz back into the house right now AND TURN HIM IN!"

"DAMN WRONG!" BuzzBuzz shrieked, all patience lost. Mad anger blazed in his eyes. "BRAIN OVER HEART, CLAUS! BRAIN OVER HEART! If you want to protect your brother, then you can't let your feelings control you!"

"I CAN CONTROL MY GODDAMN FEELINGS _PERFECTLY FINE_ WITHOUT YOU!" Claus screamed, clenching his fists in fury.

"OH YEAH? YOU CALL _THIS _CONTROL? FINE!" BuzzBuzz spat, trembling in pure rage. "Then tell me, Claus! Why the hell do you suck ass at PK Love? HUH?"

"Lucas knew it longer-"

"WRONG, AND DEAD WRONG AGAIN!" BuzzBuzz screamed, jabbing a finger viciously in his direction. "It's because PK Love is extremely shit-sensitive to your petty, insignificant feelings! UNLIKE YOU, Lucas knows how to control his emotions. He accepts them and learns from them. YOU on the other hand, either push them away or LET _THEM _CONTROL _YOU_, EXACTLY LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW! And if you're too butthurt to admit that, THEN HELL, YOUR BROTHER'S DEAD CORPSE MIGHT BE THE PRICE OF YOUR OWN GODDAMN STUPIDITY!"

Claus's blanched. All the color rapidly fled from his face.

Breathing deeply, BuzzBuzz turned away, closing his eyes and setting a palm on his forehead. "...Meeting adjourned. I'm taking watch. Go back to the house."

Without another word, BuzzBuzz activated his psionic jetpack and lifted off into the starry twilight.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Claus...?"

"..."

Muffled voices filtered through the bedroom door. In moments, the wooden contraption slowly creaked open, and Lucas's footsteps tentatively resounded closer. "Claus, I-I'm sorry." His voice cracked. "I knew you were worried, but I never knew you were _that_ worried about me. I never should've said anything..."

"..."

"I don't blame you. You have every right to be mad at me. I was being inconsiderate of your feelings and...I guess I blew it this time, huh..."

"..."

Sounds of feet shuffling on the carpet. "But...I wanted to say...I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be angry at you...and I didn't mean to yell at you either."

"..."

"Claus? Are you sleeping...?"

"...

Crestfallen disappointment. "O-Oh. Sorry, I didn't know you were asleep. Okay, I guess I'll talk to you in the morning. Night..."

The door gently swung shut with a soft click, enshrouding a wide-awake Claus in total darkness.

* * *

**Heya guys!**

**As promised, here's the last part of Chapter 19. :) I'm sorry it's like an hour past midnight, so _technically_ I posted this a day late (sorry :x), but aside from the god-awful wi-fi, I also got caught up in an interesting conversation with my roomies about silly horror movies. Apparently there's one about a possessed tire killing people. It's called _Rubber_. I'm not joking. Like seriously whyyy**

**Sorry, I'm getting off-track. Here's the next chapter. I'll cut this A/N short, but as always, thanks for your support. :) If I have weird time gaps between posting each chapter, it's probably because I'm working my butt off in college. Or maybe it's because I got murdered by a possessed tire. Oh, the horror.**

**Yeah, I think I should get some sleep. Cutting to the reviews :)**

**The-Great-Me-sama**: Context? What context? ;D Yeah, and I agree; Chapter 20 was a strange shift from chapter 19. I hope it wasn't too jarring haha

**Guest**: Thanks. :) I'll do my best to keep it up!

**FalconerET**: Aahhh, thank you, Falconer. :) Writing descriptively is actually my weakness; every time I post a chapter, I have to comb through it to remove unnecessary phrases because it might detract focus from the story haha. All of my English teachers say that I have this problem. XD And yes, chapter 19-21 were supposed to be one chapter, but I ended up separating them, which slightly re-arranged the structure of my story. No biggie though. :) And yeah, Chapters 22-23 are going to be...interesting. As always, thanks for the well-wishes; likewise, I wish you luck in school. :)

**ConnorTheSpeling**: Oops, yeah, I'll get around to fixing the mistakes and modifying the text sometime (including the Mr. Saturn speech format). :x And yes, cliched scene is cliche. The chess scene was originally not the nightmare I was going to add, but I couldn't resist. Plus throw in illusions and things get _much_ more complicated. ;) But you're right, Giygas does have a tough life...Man, Ninten, your entire family's messed up *apologizes profusely* Haha yes, I snuck in knowledge from my mobio class (it helps me review lol). And hmmm...maybe there is a traitor, maybe there's not. Oh man, I love writing about psychological manipulation! *Gets shot*

And sorry, I should've rephrased the author's note; most of the emotional scenes derive from situations in my daily life, but thankfully _not all of them_. :) For one my mom's alive, my dad's certainly not a drunkard, and my bullying experiences were more psychological than physical (thank gods). But Claus's resentment towards his own father, Ness's parents arguing over their financial situation, and Lucas's bullies calling him a crybaby are a few of many scenes based on past memories. But seriously, I'm not trying to make you feel bad about me lol; there are way more people who have it worse than I do. At least I have a supportive family. That's more than many people can say.

I appreciate the praise, but you flatter me. :) I do prefer cartooning over writing, but we shall see in the future. *Dons sunglasses*

**PSIBoy**: Bruh, it's okay. :) If anything, thanks for going out of your way to write a review. Of course, if it makes you feel better, I suck at giving reviews, but hey, I try my best to make them sound less sucky haha! And yeah, I really did up the ante in horror last chapter, didn't I? D: Poor Ninten. Oh, and is there _really_ a traitor? ;D I'm not spoiling anything~

By the way, intriguing theory there...but as for what really happened to Giygas and who's behind all this, we'll just have to wait and see. ;) And thanks, your praise means a lot haha. Characterization is something I'm trying to practice, so it does mean a lot that you pointed it out. I'm just hoping that none of the characters start acting OoC. *crosses fingers* And ahhhh, I really appreciate your consideration. :) But a promise is a promise (although I did technically post this like an hour before midnight lol), and don't worry; I'm planning to get more sleep this weekend. :)

**B33BeepBeepMeow**: Nightmare fuel is the best kind of fuel. ;) And wow that's one convoluted dream you had O_O I'm still trying to figure out how Pokemon plushies would fit in with Metal Gear Solid...'tis a mystery that may never be solved. XD

**CrankySky**: Yeah, poor Ninten. We'll see if he feels okay... D: And huh, maybe Claus might eat Ninten's Oreos. Maybe the sword IS the Masked Man's sword. Or maybe I'm just writing random things. ;) Who knows?

**DarkFoxKit**: Holy crap, you were listening to Giygas's OST? O_O That's some creepy shiz haha. After reading your review, I tried reading last chapter with the music on like you did and...*puts headphones down* That's enough creepy music for one day. And who knows, perhaps Giygas was lying...maybe there really wasn't a traitor to begin with. Or maybe there is. We may never find out...DX But thank you for the well-wishes! And yeah, I might be busy as heck, but hey, so is everyone else. :) But I'll definitely do my best to upload whenever time permits~

**Angel-Woof**: IT'S OKAY THIS IS THE LAST PART OF THE CHAPTER WOOO-

Thank you. :) And btw, I really appreciate your dedication to review. :) But really, if you're busy, it's okay to miss a review every once in a while. We're all busy people, and I totally understand if stuff happens. Like college. And a science major (3 hour labs WHYYYY)

Yeah, you pretty much nailed the reason why Ninten won't play chess anymore. XD Psychological trauma hooray. And hey, I didn't know you liked Ninten; well, this chapter hopes to explore a flashback from him, so I hope you enjoy that. :) And if it makes your day, all the characters that you have mentioned in your review will make a debut in the story. As for when and for what circumstances...I'm not saying. ;D I totes understand why you'd like the characters you picked as your favorites for each game...but oh man I can't choose I like all the characters - *Starts sobbing dramatically in the corner*

As for Eight Melodies...I think it might play a minor cameo (I'm still adjusting a few things in that particular chapter), but we'll see how that goes. No promises. But I'll see what I can do. :)

**A Fan**: Thanks for the review. :) I'm glad you caught up on the last chapter; I was worried that you thought I was ignoring you or something haha. Trust me: I answer **ALL** reviews. :) It might seem like a hassle, but hey, I think it's a fun way to interact with my readers, even though 99% of the things I say are probably boring or irrelevant haha

Man, you readers and your interesting theories! Both of your predictions are pretty mind-boggling, but as usual, I ain't spoilin' nothin' yet. ;D Not knowing is half the fun~

And yes, my friend, the mind games are real *dons sunglasses* As a person who's never played Xenoblade Chronicles, I can't say that the entire dream sequence reminded me of anything, but hey, I might play it...when I'M REALLY FEELING IT *Sorry-not-sorry-okay I'm sorry, Shulk* And haha I lol'ed at the whole "Stan Gan" situation. XD Oh life, you work in mysterious ways.

**Plushiepaw**: I know what you mean. :) I'm also a fan of long chapters, but yeah, chapter 19 had too many different subjects involved. And thanks; I appreciate your consideration! I'll definitely do my best to keep up with the story whenever I can. Don't worry; I shouldn't be ever quitting this story. If I ever do, I'll let y'all know, but even if it takes me another year, I'm 99.99999% sure that I'm finishing this fic (...I already have the conclusion written down lol)

As for whether or not Giygas's schemes will mess with the way Ninten's going to act...we shall see. :) And who knows if there really is a traitor? No one knowwwwws O_O By the way, I'm glad about your enthusiasm for the next two chapters; I was afraid that the sudden change in POVs might be off-putting for some people, but it's nice to know that many of you are looking forward to it! And hey, that's what I love about writing this story; it entertains many different POVs, so it encourages more imagination about what might happen next. B) Or maybe that's just wishful thinking haha

And no, telling you about my fic length isn't a huge spoiler. :) So initially, I outlined my plot into separate chapters. First, this fic was only supposed to be 15 chapters long. Then 26. Now...idk. I would shoot for 26-30, but again, it really depends on my writing. As you probably know, I have a bad tendency to milk out emotions, which slows down the plot and forces me to split chapters. So far, I had to split Chapter 10, Chapter 14, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, and Chapter 19. So to answer your question, no, this story isn't ending anytime soon...I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing haha. Probably both? Anyways, Rock on. B)

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	22. Giygas's Lair

"You said that you wouldn't hurt my nephew."

Pausing at the tone of disapproval, the demonic spirit stayed silent. It hovered overhead, enshrouding the air like a grotesque thundercloud.

Tapping his fingers, Giygas slipped a cool, stone figurine from his pocket. "Maybe I should destroy you. Shatter you against the floor before your madness completely consumes me-"

The spirit whispered something incomprehensible in his ear. **"tOO lATe...tOo..ToO...LAtE..."**

Unfazed, the Giygas adjusted his reading glasses. "Mani-Mani, you don't have my best interests at heart. I'm not blind. You've been manipulating me."

An inhuman rasp. "**I aM nOt HUmAn, GiYGas. I dO nOT PRoCeSS eMOtIOns iN tHE SaMe wAY hUMaNs dO...bUt REgArdlEsS Of mY oWN iGNorANcE, evErYThiNg i haVe dOnE wAs fOr yOur oWn gOOd. YoUr nEPheW wiLL tHInk twIcE beFOrE mEDDlinG iN oUr AFFaIrS.**"

"Your warning could have been better executed."

"**YoU ArE sELfiSh.**" The spirit flickered several shades of crimson. "**yOu fALteR agAIn. LeT mE LeND yOU STrenGth. LEt Me LeND YoU rESolVe.**"

Giygas's eyes flashed in anger. With a crisp crack, a nearby vase exploded from psychic force. Dust and broken pieces lay strewn over the crimson carpet. "I am not selfish. Never call me _selfish."_

"**HeeD mY wARnIng, MorTAL. As MUcH aS YoU hAte Me, I aM a paRt oF yOu. mY pOwERs brINg oUt tHe bEst iN soMe aNd tHe WorSt iN oTHerS. WhICh wIll iT bE fOr YoU?**"

Giygas said nothing. His fingers tapped in an erratic rhythm.

"**MaRiA dIEd sO SuDDenLy.**" Mani-Mani suddenly said. "**a trAgeDy snATchED hEr aWay wHen sHe hAd sO mANy mOrE yEArs tO LiVe-**"

"Still your tongue."

"**tHE gUIlt ****kILLs yoU, dOEsn'T it? tO kNOw tHAt yOU coULd'Ve sAVed hEr iF yOU hAd tHe POweR yOU poSSEss tODay."**

Giygas snapped his head up. "DON'T REMIND ME-"

"**iMaGinE hEr hEre, GiyGas. AliVE. shE wOUld bE sO prOUd tO sEE thE WOrlD YoU aRe aBouT tO bUIld. a UtoPia wIthoUt HungeR. wITHout pAin. WithOut ViOleNce.**" The spirit contorted into a gruesome face of a wail before curling around his spine in a wisp of smoke. "**aLL yOu hAVe tO dO iS pUll tHe sEvenTh NeeDlE.**"

The anger drained out of his face. A tired apathy replaced its depths. "Are you sure Maria can be revived?"

**"HaVe fAIth.**" The statue glittered innocently. "**AnYtHinG is PossiBle.**"

"But whoever pulls the Needle-"

"**wiLL dIe.**"

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side.

Another whisper. An incomprehensible hiss.

Setting a palm on his forehead, Giygas breathed in. "I can't do...this. You're essentially asking me to take a child's life."

"**nOt yOUr nePhew**."

"But to condemn the poor child and his twin to the same suffering of loss?"

**"gOOd dEEd reQuIres sAcRificE. OnE lIfe tO iMproVe the lIves Of MiLLioNs.**" Mani-Mani whispered, and Giygas felt the sweet little nothings slither through his ears. "**wEIgh yOur deCisIons wiSEly. wHy DesPaIR? yOu hAve mE.**"

For several seconds, Giygas didn't move. After an eternity, his shoulders slumped. "For Maria."

With a sigh of smoke, the spirit dissolved against his skin in wispy tendrils. Giygas's eyes rolled to the back of his head, his arms jittering as if on clattered, fingers shook. Then the statue in his lap blinked crimson once, leaving the possessed man to stare blankly at the floor.

"**fOol**," the man whispered.

A sudden rasp jolted him out of his thoughts. The awful crackle of static savagely tore through the air, and an oily voice immediately followed, resounding through the old, weather-beaten speakers.

"The children have arrived in Saturn Valley."

"**aNd...?**" With a long-suffering sigh, the possessed man set a palm on his forehead. "**mR. sPy, i aM ruNNinG oUT of tiMe. mY hOSt iS rEgaIninG hIs consCienCe.**"

"My apologies, dear! I didn't-"

**"gET tO tHE pOint."**

The figure on screen gulped. "The t-twins!" the voice stammered. "We were wrong."

**"wE wErE wrOng, hOw?**_"_

"One of them can't use PK Love. The elder one. Nasty temper, that red-head."

With a frown, Giygas reclined against the console. His lips curled distastefully. "**bUt the YounGer oNe caN?**"

"Yes."

"**pItY...i'Ve wAstEd mY tiMe tORmeNtiNg the wRonG bOy.**" Giygas drummed his fingers against the tabletop. Cold fingertips gracefully glided over the polished wood. "**VeRy weLL. A chANge iN plAns. feTch mE the YouNger oNe."**

"The honey-blond?"

**"yeSsss.**" His smile widened, stretching grotesquely across his shadowed face. **"fAssAd, teLL me. hOw mUcH pAIn dO yOU ThiNk ClAuS caN tAke beFoRe hE sNaps?**"

"What do you mean?"

Giygas opened his mouth. His sharp incisors glinting in the dim light.** "fEELinGs. EmoTiOns. thEy mAKe hUMans dO sTRanGe tHinGs. AnD yOU knOw HoW i lOvE tO plAy wiTh My fOOd.**"

Swirling his wrist into the air, Giygas mustered glowing PSI into his hand, then delicately breathed onto the crackling ball of purple energy. In a wisp of smoke, two tiny figurines slowly blinked up at him from his palm. As Giygas appraised them with an interested eye, the one shrank back in terror while the other glared back up at his caster.

"**a FiNe shOw. i Can harDly wAit. MaKe suRe the pOOr bOy lOses HIs brOTher iN thE MoST PAinFuL waY PossIbLe."**

"No offense, but why wait? We could take on all four of them now-"

Giygas snapped his fist closed. In a soft scream of agony, the illusions violently dissolved to dust. "**dO nOT iNTerfEre. tHOse bOtherSome SouLs aRe mIne.**" A hint of cold impatience entered his features. "**i WanT tO bE enTerTaiNed. lEt theM dEludE thEmSelVes. Let TheM tHink tHeY aRe sAfe fRom My CluTcHes. wHen thE PiN DroPs, i wAnT tO sEE tHe hOpE sUCk oUt oF thEir fAceS whEn I snaTch tHe bOy aWay. i WaNt to saVor theIr deAthS veRy sLowly.**" Giygas clasped his slender fingers together. "**HoW iS tHe GiFt i sEnt yOu? **"

"In perfect condition. It will distract them very nicely."

"**gOOd. ThiNgs aRe aBout tO gEt iNTerEstIng.****" **A reptilian snick of the eyelids. "**RuN aLonG, mR. sPy. i aM GRoWinG HUngrY..."**

* * *

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

* * *

**MissionLog_20XX**

**_Username: CommanderNu**

**_MISSION_LOG:**

Pull the 7th Needle. Save the world from total destruction.

**_SubLog_1: [DAY1_12:02]**

Alternate timeline locked. Landing successful.

Accidently shrunk to size of bee. Overshot destination by 24 hours {Disregard}.

Proceed with mission. Connection with homeworld terminated in t minus 45 seconds...44 seconds...43 seconds...

.

.

.

.

.

.

**_SubLog_2: [DAY1_16:13]**

Connections cut. Stranded in Saturn Valley. The subjects {Ninten, Ness, Lucas, Claus} have little knowledge of Giygas's plans. Low morale. Provide peptalk to boost confidence.

Total destruction of Planet Earth is inevitable.

Headache symptoms present. Predicted lifetime before bodily disintegration: 1200 HOURS.

.

.

.

.

.

.

**_SubLog_3: [DAY1_21:45]**

Mechanical wings malfunctioning. Initiating psionic jetpack.

Subject {Claus} is extremely volatile and prone to lack of emotional control. Probability of learning PK Love is low. Negotiation is unreasonable. Abandon negotiation.

Must inform all subjects of the MISSION. AT ALL COSTS, DO NOT LEAK LOOPHOLE. Subjects {Ninten, Ness, Claus} may become uncooperative and pose as a threat to the MISSION.

.

.

.

.

.

.

**_SubLog_4: [DAY1_21:50]**

I traveled back in time to save the world.

But my very presence is unraveling the fabric of the world. This alternate universe is literally crumbling to pieces. We have to find the last Needle and pull it before it's too late.

Every day, my friends' faces haunt my dreams: faces of those whom I have left behind for dead in my world, and faces of others whom may possibly die in this alternate future. Ana, Teddy, Lloyd have willingly sacrificed their lives for this cause, and now...it's finally my turn. I don't want anyone else to suffer my fate, to watch their loved ones die in front of their own eyes. So when the time comes, I can only hope that my death will be the very last casualty.

But deep down in my heart, I know that I'm terribly wrong. The Mission requires me not to care about my friends, but the guilt, the pain, the awful truth of _knowing_...it kills me with every passing second.

Someone else must die in order for everyone else to live.

Way back when, a friend once told me that to give up life was akin to failure. But now, I wonder if I've already failed. Is it the right choice to condemn the life of my friend for the cause of the world? Will the safety of hundreds justify the death of one?

...I'm not so sure anymore.

Whoever pulls the 7th Needle will pass on his heart to the Dark Dragon. I don't know who will end up pulling the final Needle in this universe, but either way, a painful price will be paid. I guess I've always suspected it all along, but the heavy weight of truth doesn't make my duty any easier to bear.

Life isn't merciful. Life isn't fair.

But the cruelest crime of all?

Life doesn't always end happily ever after.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Do you want to permanently delete**_SubLog_4: [DAY1_21:50]** from archive?

**Y/N**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**_System Processing...**

**_SubLog_4 deleted.**

* * *

**Author's Note: ****Heya guys! With this update, I bring both**** good and bad news.**

**Bad news: I'm sorry. ****This is a short chapter. *Runs away from mob of angry readers* I'm struggling to ease back into the flow of writing, so please bear with me DX And my Calc midterm is this Wednesday, so I should really be studying for that haha**

**Good news: I finished writing chapter 23 though, and it's a beast. ****I'm estimating that the finalized version will estimate ~9000 words, so hopefully that makes up for the ridiculously short chapter. **

**Other Bad news: Because of midterms, I'm gonna hold off posting Chapter 23 ****until I'm done taking ALL of my exams...which won't be until November 13. But you can expect a solid update sometime before December. And I also underestimated how much I could write - we will return to our main protags in chapter 25, NOT chapter 24. My bad. :x**

**I know it's a long wait, but t****hank you so much for being patient with my horrible writing slump. In return, I'll keep my updating promise and try not to die from exploding chemicals in my lab hooray**

**Answering reviews~**

**B33 Beep Beep Meow**: Dem feels indeed ;)

**Connor the speling pro**: Hey, what do you know, I did base that quote from Animal Farm. It's one of my favorite books of all time. And ahh, I would rather say that Ninten wanted to attract Ana's attention instead of caring about his own popularity - it was just a shame that Poo seemed so much better than him in everything AND knew Ana well (we will cover that next chapter) ;) And thanks for the conjugation/spelling check! I think I accidentally switched to present tense during the flashback -_-; Epic fail

And I haven't revealed who the Shaman is yet, so don't worry :) You haven't missed anything. Besides, BuzzBuzz is pretty grumpy, huh? XD Agreed; teens are hard to handle and Claus did need a reality check. Hopefully(?) he'll get over it. And thanks for the well-wishes, bruh. :) I appreciate it.

**PSIBoy: **Yeah, none of the protags are thinking rationally right now D: I really hope I didn't make them OoC, but I wanted to add friction because their journey so far had been much more tougher than they had expected. Being hungry and tired really messes up your mood, no matter how good-natured or strong you are. But they'll live...Possibly. Probably. Maybe. We'll just have to wait and see. :) Hmmm...about your spy theory and Fassad theory though...I'm not commenting yon either yet ;)

Hooray and yes, Claus really needs to get a hang of himself. Letting his emotions explode is very bad indeed...who know what kind of trouble he'll get into at this rate? And again, thank you for your kind words~

**Plushiepaw: **I'm glad you're happy that the fic will last longer. XD Generally, I think it's incompetence and inexperience on my part to accurately make an estimate, but hopefully that'll improve :) And yeah lol Ninten really has been pining after Ana for too long. How long has it been, at least four years?We'll see if Ana things work out in the end :) And no, you're right: Ninten only has asthma. I only added the weak health because (1) my brother has asthma and other minor health conditions (2) Not being able to breathe well impacts other parts of daily life (like exercise, etc.) that probably takes a toll on overall health in general. XD I think I'm looking too deeply into this though.

And yeah more twin angst wooo I'm a terrible person haha. Yeah, as trouble brews, Claus really needs to treat Ninten and Ness better D: Hopefully he'll change his attitude, but nobody knows...We'll just have to wait and see~ And thanks; I do try to add in subtle references every now and then, but I was afraid that Claus, Ninten and Ness's reactions to Lucas getting hit by a car was too blatant and cringeworthy haha. I'm glad you liked it though :) Nice theories about the Shaman by the way...very nice...but again, no spoilers ;) And as always, thank you for your consideration; I will do my best to update as soon as I can~

**Shimo no ko**: Ahhhh stahp it, you. XD I'm here to improve my writing skills, because, oh man, only lord knows how awful my writing style used to be. But I really appreciate that you like my fic :) Many thanks, and hopefully future chapters don't disappoint~

**DarkFoxKit**: Yeppers, that was one emotional chapter. Sometimes I get a little too passionate with my writing that my feelings just explode over the page (which is a pretty bad habit I'm trying to fix haha), hence the flood of angst, but I definitely agree; teens can be a handful to manage sometimes! Granted, I'm one myself, but still...And hopefully Claus can control those emotions and use PK Love in the future. Who knows? We'll see ;) BuzzBuzz is such a Buzzkill though. And haha no, thank _you_ for your support :)

**A Fan**: I understand your confusion :) I cleared up some extraneous information in Chapter 21 to make it flow better, and to answer your thoughts, yes, it's quite hard to see where this story is going now, isn't it? XD But rest assured that the future chapters should bring you peace. Thank you gladly for your criticism~ And to answer the rest of your questions...oh dear. You have certainly placed me in an uncomfortable position, because you seem to know exactly what to pick apart. I can't say much about BuzzBuzz without ruining this chapter (especially about the use of the psionic jetpack), but I imagine him to be more of a human being aided by future technology than a "fairy-like" fantasical creature who can fly naturally. If this doesn't make any sense, hopefully this chapter can shed a little more light on the topic (which will also be covered in the next few chapters). If not...feel free to comment again, and I'll see what I can do to improve the story for clarity:)

And haha in some sense, Claus does seem like a mean person, but he just has problems expressing his feelings. It's a strange concept, not knowing how to express your concern/worries to your loved ones without sounding like a jerk, but my dad acts just like this to us because of his childhood. But yeah between you and me...Claus can be a really big jerk every now and then ;)

**Guest**: Thank you most kindly, good sir ;) I will do my best to update as frequently as I can~

**Jujukins**: Yeah, Claus doesn't really cry, does he? I think it's also because Lucas is around - he doesn't want his brother to see him crying because he's supposed to be the "tough one." But Lucas wouldn't care all the same. :) And thanks! I really do try to keep up the character development, because it's one of my favorite aspects of story-telling. And yeah, no worries about being late! The bullying scene was meant to be painful to read. I had to re-read several times to be satisfied with the feelings it invoked. So, yeah, ahhh I'm sorry if it caused you pain D: And hey, cliffhangers are awesome, and you know it ;) I appreciate your enthusiasm for the fic! Hopefully the future chapters are worth the time :)

**Guest**: I feel you, man. It's awful when a friend won't tell you what's up and you clearly know that they're suffering D:

**Insert Name Here**: Aww geez, you flatter me. I don't know about "re-thinking life," but I'm just practicing my hand on writing XD English is some tough stuff, man. And ahhhhhhhhhh I'm sorry, I can't promise anything yet about Claus's possible(?) death. DX We will have to wait and see, my friend. ;) And haha I'm glad you like Ninten's "Okay" pun! Thanks for your support :)

**Angel-woof**: HELLO TO YOU TOO! :D Seriously, I totally understand if college is seriously taking away a lot of your time. Your GPA and life are more important than this silly little fic on Fanfiction ;) And oh, man, you have a tough schedule...but I know you can pull through :) Thanks for your well-wishes, and I hope the best of luck to your studies~

And no problem! My chapters are honestly getting quite long, so there's no need to re-review them again as a whole, and I totes understand that :) But hey, I didn't know about your spine defect, and yeah, while I can't relate, my brother has asthma and other minor health conditions D: So I figured Ninten should probably feel the same way about his life. Yeah, I like portraying Ninten as the "goofball," because (1) Ness's family background his this fic forces him to be more serious and (2) Ninten is the youngest (in this fic) and most immature of the four. And as for your conspiracy questions, we will find out about the impact of this strange disease this chapter, and as for what purpose the Seven Needles serve...that will be a prime topic in the next few chapters :)

Hooray for time alterations! Haha things are about to get REALLY confusing...The identity of the Shaman will also be revealed in due time, and your theory on BuzzBuzz's true identity is certainly interesting. But no spoilers ;) And haha you're absolutely right; Claus really needs to pull himself together, because Giygas's cat-and-mouse game has only just begun~ Lots of angst hooray

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	23. Fallin' Love

**Setting: Past**

There were foreign words and foreign people. Everything seemed so big.

The urban sprawl stretched as far as the eye could see. Skyscrapers loomed like narrow juts of metal, and Poo pressed his face against the airplane window. How was it _possible_ for buildings to be so large? If Poo didn't know of this knowledge beforehand, he would have sworn that PSI was involved.

_Eagleland,_ Poo thought, avoiding the sea of jostling bodies and stepping off the plane. _T__he famed international haven of prosperity._

Perhaps the sights should be awe-inspiring, or even thrilling, but Poo only felt a chill in his spine. Eagleland boasted of diversity, but everyone seemed separate. No one bothered to talk to each other like they did in Dalaam. No one looked up from their weird, square-like devices with screens to interact with the wondrous world outside.

No one had time for anyone but themselves.

Selfish. Greedy.

Such seemed Eagleland.

_I want to go home. I don't belong here._

Strange sights and languages bombarded his doubly-heightened senses. People bustled around in even stranger clothes, and some of them talked loudly into equally stranger, square-like devices. The excitement in the air was almost palpable. Many weather-beaten immigrants huddled forth - refugees, job seekers, international students - desperately hoping to achieve the "Eaglelandian Dream."

_And now, I am one of them._

Poo wondered how many would end up achieving their dream.

He also wondered how many would fail.

Shaking the morbid thoughts out of his head, Poo studied the immigrants carefully. Many of them carried a box or a luggage bag in their hands, no doubt containing treasured memories of home.

But Poo had nothing with him. Nothing but the skin on his back and a sinking feeling of trepidation. His dark slanted eyes and coloration was so much more different from the prevalent blue eyes and pale skin of his peers, and for some reason, Poo felt very small.

Instincts kicked in, and taking a deep breath, the seven-year old concentrated on his meditation.

Calm. Composed. Clear.

Once a crown prince of Dalaam reached the magic age of seven, it was customary of the royal family to send off their heir into different countries without aid. Carrying material goods to start his journey was considered a violation of The Training.

_You have no more to learn here, Master Poo, _echoed the last words of his Sensei. The elderly man had inclined his head in thought. _Dalaam is a small country. To further your understanding of International affairs, I suggest that you set off for Eagleland and finish your secondary education there. Do you accept this request?_

_I do._

Jostled around by busy people of different ages and heights, the tiny boy instinctively reached for his PSI to contact his host family before checking himself; as far as Eaglelandians were concerned, PSI was not celebrated as a blessing, but treated as a freakish act of nature. In fact, Poo wasn't even sure if Eaglelandians knew that PSI existed. Using PSI could possibly produce severe repercussions.

Poo internally berated himself. Only seconds in his hostland and already he was making a mistake. His Sensei would be very disappointed.

"...Hello?"

Almost jumping out of his skin, Poo realized that the speaker was a young blond girl his age with…with _pigtails_? Or was it ponytail? Pigtails, yes, that was the term. Another blink, and Poo recognized the girl - she was the daughter of his host family.

Despite The Training, Poo couldn't ward off his panic. _She addressed me first...how do I react? What did page 30 of the guidebook cover on basic Eaglelandian greetings?_

"My name is Poo."

The girl stared at him blankly. Poo internally panicked harder.

_Wait, am I supposed to greet her first then introduce myself, or is it the other way around? Or maybe I raise my hand in the "wave"? Oh, why are Eaglelandian customs so confusing?!_

The girl suddenly broke out into a giggle. "Mom!" she called out with a wave. "I think I found him!"

A woman with blond curls hurried over, panting for breath. Her eyes were just as bright blue as her daughter's, but surprisingly filled with the kindness Poo could not catch in the Others. "Thank goodness! We couldn't find your boarding number and were worried that we might have missed you!" she greeted enthusiastically.

Once again, Poo was taken aback by the surprising warmth in her voice. "Pleased to meet you, m'am," he said shyly.

Another warm look. "The pleasure is mine, Puresu...Pu..." The woman threw him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I'm not the best with names." She checked the profile she was holding in her hand. "Puresukotto."

"Please, call me Poo, ma'am," he said, internally wincing at how the woman completely butchered his name.

"Poo?" The woman looked worried. "Are you sure you want to stick with your nickname? We can help you choose a more Eaglelandian nickname if you want. The children at school aren't at all very nice."

Poo thought about it hard. "No, ma'am," he finally said with surprisingly firmness in his voice. "My name is all I bring from my birth country. Nobody can tarnish it but I."

"So young, yet so wise at your age," the woman said softly. She laughed, ruffling Ana's hair. "I hope you can teach our daughter a thing or two about your polite manners," she joked. "My daughter has so much to learn from you."

Embarrassed, Ana swatted her mom's hand away. "Moooom," she whined.

Her mother stifled a grin. "Momma's just teasin'," she whispered gently, patting her on by the shoulder. "Now then, did you introduce yourself to your new friend?"

Ana's eyes widened. "Sorry, ma! I forgot," she squeaked, turning to him so quickly that her pigtails flew around her face. "It's nice to meet you, Poo," Ana said shyly, holding out a hand.

Wide-eyed, Poo stared blankly at the hand. Then he slapped it in a High-Five.

Ana giggled. "No, this is a _handshake_," she corrected gently, taking Poo's fingers and clasping them.

At her soft touch, Poo felt his ears burn. His throat turned dry. "Th-Thank you," he stammered.

Ana giggled again. "I already like him, ma," she said cheerfully, turning to her mother. "I know we're gonna be best friends!"

Poo's cheeks burned brighter.

Ana's mother put a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Poo looks a little overwhelmed, Ana," she said softly. "Don't scare him, now."

"It's all right," Poo managed to say. "I appreciate your warm hospitality."

"No need. Ana's our only child, so we thought it'd do her much good for her to hang around someone else her own age. She's incredibly shy! Maybe you can both learn new things and talk to new people." Ana's mother checked the time on her watch, then yelped. "Oh, will you look at the time! You must be so hungry after your travel, Poo!" she fussed, pushing the flustered boy out the airport.

Shyly, Ana scuffed her shoe before curiously asking Poo questions about Dalaam, to which he responded with gentle eagerness. The pleasantly warm feeling in his cheeks stayed, melting his heart and tingling in his toes.

_What is this new feeling?_

* * *

**Setting: Present**

"I have a good feeling." Poo gestured to the horizon. "This is the last mountain range before we hit the city."

Crossing her cold arms in a shiver, Kumatora grumbled. "Why can't we teleport over it?"

"I am out of PSI."

Kumatora didn't complain. To quicken their pace, Poo had teleported them several times throughout the day. To be quite frank, Kumatora thought it was a frickin' miracle that Poo hadn't already collapsed from the strain.

"You look tired." Kumatora abruptly halted. "We can take a break-"

"I am fine. We cannot afford to stay too long in the cold," Poo responded, his eyelids drooping wearily. The Dalaamese boy nudged forward, taking the lead.

Kumatora hesitated, then reluctantly dropped the issue. Again, she glanced back to check on the stragglers.

Despite his low endurance, Picky had managed to walk quite a distance before buckling from exhaustion and cold. Without a word, Paula had scooped him up onto her back, rejecting offers from both Poo and Kumatora herself.

"Poo, you look like you're going to fall over any second, and Kuma, you're guarding the front. I can carry him," was all she had said. But they had to be blind not to notice the fiery, over-protective glint in Paula's eye that was all-too reminiscent to that of a _very_ familiar ginger-head. Wisely, all objections were quelled.

Kumatora frowned. From the looks of it, Picky had long since fallen asleep on Paula's back. Faint conversation tickled Kumatora's ears; low, hushed words quietly passed between the two girls behind her.

Thinking back on it, Kumatora realized that all of her friends were boys. Not that she cared. Most of her time was spent working shifts as a waiter, hanging out with Duster, or training the wrestling team for the next tournament. At school, not many girls seemed to catch her sense of humor, which Kumatora honestly didn't mind. Personally, she thought that most of her classmates were dumb, boy-crazy bitches whose brains were filled with makeup and selfies.

But so what? Who cared if all of her friends were guys?

It didn't make her any different, did it?

Scowling, Kumatora kicked a pebble with her shoe. It sailed through the air, lodging itself into the dirt right below Poo's foot.

…and speaking of the Dalaamese boy, why was he glancing back so frequently? Kumatora frowned, watching the serious boy for–there it was again, that head-swivel. This time, she followed his gaze to see what he was looking at.

Or _whom_, to be more precise.

Kumatora's lips curled into a mischievous smile. Casually, she sauntered forward, slinging an arm around the shorter boy's shoulders. "Hey, Pee. How's it hanging?"

Poo gave her an exasperated look that almost made Kumatora feel bad for teasing.

Almost.

Poo wearily lowered his eyelids. "I do not understand your train of thought."

"She's pretty, isn't she?"

Poo snapped up to attention. Eyeing her warily, Poo carefully chose his words. "...Pardon?"

Suddenly distracted, Kumatora halted. "Wait, say that again."

"What do you mean?"

"That is one _wicked _accent." Kumatora let loose a loud laugh. "Man, I wish I had an accent. Yours doesn't sound Eaglelandian though…"

"No, it's not," Poo responded evenly. "I was conceived in a small country called Dalaam."

Kumatora felt a twinge of curiosity. "When did you come to the States?"

"When I was seven." Poo gave a wry smile. "As you can tell, my English is still far from perfect."

Kumatora stared. "You're kidding me. I wish I could speak another language _this_ well. Being bilingual sounds really useful." Kumatora shook her head. "But seriously, your English is pretty darn good."

"...Do I detect your use of the sarcasm?"

"No, I'm honest." Kumatora crossed her arms. "Have you read some of the essays I had to peer-review for class?" she grumbled. "Some idiots can't spell _anything_ to save their lives. What noobs. I can't believe they were_ born_ here."

Poo allowed himself a smile. "Your compliment is much appreciated, but I have much to learn. I attribute most of my success to Jeff, who tutored me in Eaglelandian vocabulary for quite some time."

A mental image of a dirty-blond kid with glasses popped up in Kumatora's mind. "Oh, the Chemistry nerd?"

"_Jeff_," Poo corrected stiffly. "Is a fine companion."

"I wasn't...nevermind." Deciding to change the awkward subject, Kumatora pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't you ever miss home?"

Poo stared into the starry sky. "Sometimes," he said quietly. "I try to be as busy as I can, because it keeps my mind off of home."

"You could fly back over the summer."

"I cannot. I must stay here until I complete my secondary education, for it is the request of my Royal Advisor."

Kumatora did a spit-take. "_Royal Advisor_?"

"Eagleland is well-known for its International affairs. As the crown prince, it is extremely important that I learn as much about some customs before returning to my home country."

"Wait, wait, slow down. So let me get this straight." Kumatora looked completely incredulous. "You're the _crown prince_?"

Poo stared back at her seriously. "I am."

"Like, _the _crown prince?!"

"Yes."

Kumatora shook her head in bewilderment. "Don't get me wrong, but aren't like, _crown princes_, supposed to be protected by bodyguards and top-notch security? You know, so you don't get _assassinated_?"

"There is an old saying in Dalaam that we take very seriously," Poo said. "_A King who knows not how to fend for himself cannot be trusted to fend for his people_."

"...I think it's still politically irresponsible."

Poo only shrugged. "While I am the son of the King, the Royal Dalaamese Board of Advisors take more stock into character than into background. My death might complicate matters, but rest assured that the board can always select another heir."

"How long does _that_ take?"

"The process itself takes place over a few years. Dalaam has several potential heirs at the a time. When the current monarch is unable to perform his duties and steps down, the Board eventually selects one of these candidates to take over, along with the consent of the public. It is is a very intricate process."

"No shit. That's intense."

"Preferably, not being dead would be ideal," Poo agreed. "That is why I must be diligent at all times."

"...That doesn't sound like fun."

"Perhaps, but fun is not a necessity to survive," Poo answered in a heartbeat. "Duty. Dedication. Discipline. This is the way of the Mu."

"That doesn't sound efficient," Kumatora frowned. "Poo, sure, duty calls and responsibility is important and _blah blah blah_, but if you don't know how to have fun, you'll burn out. You need to learn how to relax."

"Relax...Do you mean meditating?"

"Like...doing something you actually _enjoy_."

"I enjoy meditating."

"No, I mean, you know, like having _fun _fun." Kumatora sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. How the hell was she supposed to define fun?

Poo suddenly started to laugh.

Kumatora frowned. "What's so funny?"

"Ness said the exact same thing to me many years ago."

"Wait, _Ness?_" Kumatora was unexpectedly surprised. "The baseball fanatic?"

"Don't underestimate him, Kumatora. He has his rash moments, but Ness is an extraordinarily deep thinker." Poo smiled, teeth gleaming merrily in a smile. "He is a very close friend of mine. I believe he was the first friend I met at school." He paused. "At least, I think he was the first person in class not to make fun of my name..."

Now Kumatora felt terribly guilty. "…Oh."

"Don't worry, Kuma," Poo responded gently. "I know you mean no harm."

Kumatora snorted, punching him in the shoulder. "Who said anything about _that_?" she muttered, turning away. "Enough of this stupid...sappy stuff. Let's talk about other things." Recalling her previous train of thought, Kumatora's wicked smirk returned. "I can tell that you care about Ana a _lot_," she said sweetly.

"Ana is the daughter of my host family."

"No, I mean that you two seem really, _really_ close. Don't deny it; you have feelings for her, don't you?"

Poo fell silent, but his burning cheeks gave all the answer Kumatora needed.

"Hah! I knew it!" she cackled, punching him in the arm. "Look, she's literally standing _right there_. Tell you what, I'll distract _princess_, and you can man up and fess your feelings. What d'you think?"

"I cannot entertain ideas of a romantic relationship."

"Why not?" Kumatora teased. "Or is somebody too scaaaaared?"

Poo turned away. "I am already engaged."

"...What."

Poo opened his eyes. "Several years ago, my parents arranged my future marriage with a princess of a warring tribe. As the crown prince of Dalaam, my people's needs take priority over my own." Poo hesitated. "I met with the princess once before when we were five," he said quietly. "She is not a bad person."

"Wait, so are you just going to _give up_?" Kumatora said incredulously. "That's bull. Why don't you tell your parents to call off the marriage? I bet they can find another way to keep the peace without involving _you_ in it-"

"It is a 150 year old feud."

"Well then...you can...you can-"

"I appreciate your effort, Kumatora, but it is not meant to be," Poo said gently. "Ana's heart already belongs to another."

Lost for words, Kumatora dropped her mischievous facade. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"No need to be sorry," Poo said softly. "Ana is wonderful friend, and if I could spend more time treasuring her friendship during my stay, then I will be very satisfied. It is an honor to have been taken in by such a gracious host family." A pause. "We have already spent enough time talking about extraneous affairs," Poo said gently, speeding up his pace. "The sun is already setting...Let us make haste."

Kumatora said nothing, silently letting the Dalaamese prince take the lead. Poo obviously sounded sincere, but strangely enough, Kumatora felt something tug painfully at her heart strings.

Wow. She actually felt bad for him. Kumatora, the Queen of I-don't-give-a-fuck-about-feelings, actually felt _bad_ for him.

What was the world coming to?

"Goddamn these onions in my eyes," Kumatora muttered, trudging after Poo's silent form.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Paula, are you sure? You've been carrying him for a while-"

"No. I'm carrying Picky, and it's final." Paula threw Ana her _nothing-you-will-say-will-ever-change-my-mind_ look, and Ana knew better than to argue.

Ana dropped the subject. "You never told me you were good at handling kids," she said softly, watching Picky breathe in and out. "I don't think I would've had the patience to handle them..."

Paula merely shrugged. "My parents own a daycare, remember? And honestly, Picky's pretty mature for his age. At least, he's nothing like his older brother."

"I see...You seem to know him pretty well."

"I do. His parents are kinda unconventional, so they often stop by our daycare to drop him off because they don't feel like dealing with him. To be honest, I don't think Picky wants to go home either. He hides it well, but I've been starting to suspect some shady things about that family," Paula said quietly. "Like, haven't you noticed the bruises on his arms? They look like fingerprints."

Ana froze. "You don't think-"

"I do."

"...We have to help him."

Paula nodded. "Definitely, but we can't do anything until we get back to the city." She forced an apologetic smile onto her lips. "Sorry about all the depressing talk, Ana. I didn't mean to go all _serious-like _and freak you out."

"It's okay," Ana said softly. "It helps to let everything out."

Paula halted, readjusting her grip on the boy on her back. "Speaking of letting everything out, I know that something's been on your mind for a while. You know, if you want to tell me about it, it's okay."

Ana shot a nervous glance from the corner of her eyes.

Without catching the look, Paula understood. "Poo and Kumatora are too far ahead to hear us," she reassured softly.

Still uneasy, Ana fidgeted and played with her fingers. "R-Right…"

Paula recognized the symptoms. Whenever the quiet girl was in distress, Ana would overcome her germaphobia and start chewing her fingernails. And right now, she was shredding through them like a paper cutter.

Paula decided to spare her the mercy of waiting. "I promise I won't judge."

Ana returned to killing five more minutes with even more nervous fidgeting before she timidly asked, "...Are you sure?"

"Gurl, please. I'm your fuuu-rend," Paula drawled, her Southern accent shining through. "Of course, you can tell me anything!"

Ana laughed, even though she still looked slightly nervous. "I know, but this is..." She buried her head in her arms. "Oh god, this is so _embarrassing_."

Paula smirked. "Wait, is this about the time you told me Claus looked _sexy_?"

Ana colored. "WHAT?! I never said that!"

"Yeah, you did. Remember, like, three years ago, we were talking about why Claus was being so rude to Ness, and you were like, _Well, he is kinda sexy-_"

Completely mortified, Ana shoved her hands into her laughing friend's shoulder. "That was in _sixth grade_!" Ana protested. "And I didn't even know what _sexy_ meant! Richie told me it meant _mean_!"

"So…do you still think Claus looks _sexy_?" Paula teased, batting her eyelashes.

"…I hate you."

Paula spared her a cheeky grin. Composed, quiet Ana becoming flustered? A sight to see. "I'm only teasing you because you still haven't told me what's been bugging you."

"I...I-I...Aaah! I can't do this! Okay, wait, give me a second." Ana took a deep breath. "Um...Paula?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever...you know...H-Have you ever liked someone? Like, _like liked _someone?"

Paula almost stopped in her tracks. "Ana, why-"

"I'm sorry!" Ana blurted out in mortification, immediately covering her blushing face in embarrassment. "F-Forget about it!"

Now Paula knew she had two ways to approach the situation: she could either tease her friend and laugh it off, or actually talk to her about the question at hand. But to be brutally honest, Paula had been waiting _ages_ for Ana to finally spit it out, so she decided to get to the point.

"_Finally,_" Paula broke out, rolling her eyes. "It's about time."

"Huh?"

"Ness and I've been wondering how long it'd take for you to get the hint."

"Hint? What hint?" Ana squeaked.

"Yes, Ana, I'm pretty damn sure that Ninten likes you too."

The poor girl's face was now glowing a deep crimson. "H-How did you know it was N-Ninten?" she stammered.

Paual looked exasperated. "Don't you remember? Last year, he wrote cheesy pick-up lines on all his sticky notes then stuck them on top of your desk. And when you thought no one was looking, you'd quietly slip them off and stuff them into your bag-"

"Huh?" Ana blurted out. "Wait, how do you know?!"

"I sat behind you," Paula deadpanned.

The poor blonde looked absolutely mortified. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean he likes me back," Ana muttered, averting her eyes to stare at her shoes. "He's probably playing around. You know how Ninten likes to flirt with all the girls. Yeah, he's probably playing around..."

Paula rolled her eyes again. "Yes, _of course_. Silly me. He's joking around with you. No really, Ana, when a boy serenades a girl to class on the last day of school, that means he _likes_ you."

"No. Stop it, Paula!" Ana blurted out. Squeezing her eyes shut, she clapped her hands over her ears. "Stop playing matchmaker. Ninten can't _possibly_ like me..."

"Why not?"

"Because he's...he's so _perfect_, and well, look at me, Paula," Ana said softly, looking at her feet. "I'm not smart like you. I'm not strong like Kumatora. All I can do is play the piano...like fifty billion other people..."

"So? There's nothing wrong with that. I think being able to play the piano's pretty cool," Paula said reasonably. "And hey, Lucas's shy too, and he sings without a problem-"

"But Lucas is internationally recognized. I'm not special. I'm just...I'm just a normal girl." Ana quietly stared at her palms. "I don't stand a chance. How can someone as perfect as Ninten ever love a girl like me?"

..._You've GOT to be kidding me. _Filled with a sudden urge of frustration, Paula seriously considered bashing her own head against the mountainside. After long rumination, Paula eventually decided against it. Giving herself a concussion wasn't going to improve Ana's love life. Exasperated to the point of no return, Paula threw her arms up in an _I-give-up-you're-absolutely-hopeless air_.

"For cripes sake," Paula groaned. "If you won't confess to him by the end of the year, then I'll do it for you."

Ana panicked. "What?!"

Paula rolled her eyes. "I might not know him too well, but the fact that Ninten's got a crush on you isn't exactly a big secret in school, Ana."

Ana flushed. "But-"

"Ninten. Likes. You. How much more obvious can it get?"

"...He does?" Ana said feebly.

Paula sighed, then pinched the bridge of her nose. "Gods, you two are so silly. No wonder you're perfect for each other."

"But I don't want to dive into a relationship yet!" Ana panicked. "I think. Maybe. I don't know!"

"Calm down, I'm not saying that you two should dive into a relationship pronto," Paula said softly. "You rarely say anything to him. Talk to him more. Get to know him better. Even if nothing happens between you two, Ninten's a really cool friend." Paula frowned, then cracked her knuckles. "He called me _mom_ on the first day of school, though. Ooooh, I need to get him back for that-"

Ana laughed. "You'd better lay off my man, Paula," she said teasingly. "Or I'm calling our friendship off."

Paula's smirk widened. "So you _do _admit it."

Ana spared a small smile. "Um...maybe? I guess it can't hurt to admit my feelings for him..." She gave Paula a suspiciously shifty side-glance. "So...how're things going with Ness?"

Paula groaned, then dragged her hand down her face. "Ana, he's just a childhood friend. Geezus," she complained. "It's like being friends with a boy immediately brands him as "boyfriend" material these days."

"But you kissed him!"

"ANA!" It was Paula's turn to looked flushed. "It was on the cheek, _not on the lips_!"

"I think you'd make a cute couple!" Ana gushed. "Like, you two'd be so _adorable_ together!"

"Traitor," Paula grumbled. She might have added more, had not a bloodcurdling snarl interrupted her thoughts.

Both girls froze.

"What was that?" Paula said sharply.

"I don't know."

Immediately, they readied their stance, standing back to back against each other. Ana readied her palm, letting it pulsate and hum with energy. At the same time, she mentally checked her stock, and to her dismay, Ana realized that she barely had any PSI left.

"I'm out of juice," Ana whispered.

Paula internally cursed. With Picky on her back, she had no free hands to help Ana out against whatever was about to attack them. "This isn't good. We need to warn the others-"

They shrieked when a bloody, badly-mutilated chimaera dived forward, gnashing its rabid teeth. Immediately, Ana conjured a shield before a set of sharp claws impaled Paula's foot.

_"What's going on?"_ They heard Kumatora's alarmed shout, but neither of them had any time to respond. With a frightful, mechanical roar, the mecha-lion sprung forward in a blur of speed, baring down its serrated teeth to gnaw on its fresh victims...

**CLANG!**

"ANA!"

"I don't think I can hold out much l-longer," Ana gasped, bearing the entire weight of the mecha-lion on her PSI-shield. Several tons of feline muscle pounded against the annoying obstacle, and with each strike, the shield fizzled and flickered.

Picky stirred. "Wasgoinon...?" he mumbled, opening his eyes sleepily. In seconds, his eyes dilated to the size of dinner plates as serrated teeth barely snapped inches from his head. "WOAH!"

Paula quickly set him onto his feet. "Picky, get help!" she yelled, widening her stance. "We'll distract it!"

"On it!" Picky wasted no time, using his tiny frame as an advantage to maneuver around them and disappear out of sight.

Once he was gone, Paula turned her attention over to the mecha-lion. "NOBODY HURTS MY FRIENDS WHEN I'M AROUND, _METAL-BRAIN_!" she roared, conjuring up the last of her PSI. Flames erupted from her hands in a violent _whoosh_ of embers. "PK FIRE!"

A direct hit. The mecha-lion screeched in pain, convulsing pitifully onto the ground in a melting mess. Smoke poured out of its yowling mouth as its mechanic eye began to spark violently.

All energy spent, Ana collapsed onto her knees.

"Ana!" Paula cried, hurrying over to pull her dazed friend up onto her feet.

"I'm sorry, Paula," she said weakly, knees buckling underneath her weight. "I don't have any P-PSI left..."

A furious howl of madness ripped through the air. Echoing a deep, distorted snarl in its throat, the mecha-lion limped forward murderously, taking in their petrified expressions. The chimaera was barely even recognizable with its disfigured features. With half its face melted off and its fur a bloody, charred mess, the monster looked like it was born directly from nightmare fuel.

Snapping its mouth open, bright orange light pulsated over its teeth, and they could feel the heat of the incoming fireball from afar-

...Until something hurtled through the air and landed on its back.

Hard.

Another pitiful scream erupted from the mecha-lion's jaws, and Poo leaped off in a graceful arc, narrowly avoiding its fangs and firmly planting his feet in front of the two girls.

Ana's eyes dilated in disbelief. "Poo?"

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, fixing his eyes on the threat in front of them. With a pitiful mewl, the mecha-lion limped away, nursing its new injuries.

"We're fine," Paula said, relaxing her shoulder in relief. "Where's Kuma-"

A familiar female screech: "DUUUUUCK!"

Poo expertly swiped at their ankles, knocking them over. Everyone dropped to the ground just as Kumatora ferociously soared past, drawing back a flaming fist.

"Kuma..." With a scream, she jabbed her fist forward. "PAAAAAAWNCH!"

**KA-BLAAAAAAM!**

The resulting explosion swept them off their feet.

Bits of fur and metal debris scattered over the ground in a hail of blood and oil. When stinging smell of smoke finally faded, they blearily squinted their eyes into the resulting sight. Blanching, Paula immediately clapped her hands over Picky's eyes before he could see the gruesome sight.

The only thing left of the mecha-lion was a sizzling, bloody crater.

"Did we...Did we just...?" Nausea threatened to crawl up Ana's throat, and she turned away, setting a horrified hand over her mouth.

"Hah! That taught _you_ a lesson for picking on us!" Kumatora spat angrily, brandishing her fist at the crater. Suddenly, she winced as pain to shot up her dislocated arm. "Ow, ow, ow! Stupid furball," she muttered, rolling her shoulders to relieve the kink. Bone cracked, and as the shoulder popped back into place, Kumatora rolled her eyes in relief. "Oh yeah, that's the spot..."

"What was _that_ for?!" Paula exclaimed, stomping over.

Kumatora dusted the blood of her hands. "You're welcome for the help, _princess_," she grumbled.

"STOP CALLING ME _PRINCESS_!"

Kumatora rolled her eyes. "Give me a break. I just saved our lives."

"That explosion could've killed us if we were caught in the blast!"

"I've had some experience fighting chimaeras," Kumatora growled. "Everyone was already out of the blast zone!"

"It was _limping away _from us when you attacked it!" Paula broke out angrily, clenching her fists. "_Why did you kill it?_!"

"Look, I'm not proud of what I've done, but it was necessary, okay?!" Kumatora suddenly shouted, throwing her hands up into the air. Conflicted emotions tore through her features. "Didn't you get a good _look_ at that thing? Half its face was melted off! It was already suffering a slow death, because somebody else already wounded it before _we _did. What makes you think that I _wanted _to kill it? I didn't _want_ to kill it any more than _you_ did!"

The anguished look on Kumatora's face stunned them to silence.

Kumatora turned away. "Nothing deserves to suffer more than it has to," she mumbled under her breath. "...Nothing."

Realizing that she had severely misinterpreted the older teen, Paula closed her mouth. "I'm sorry, Kuma," she said quietly. "I didn't know-"

"Save it. I hate apologies," Kumatora said bluntly. But she shifted a look over, and catching Paula's despondent look, her gaze softened slightly. "Hey. Don't be sorry. If you get my jam, we're good."

Surprised, Paula looked up, and Kumatora smirked, socking her shoulder. "I won't try to kill anything if I can, okay? So stop dwelling in the dumps, _princess_. The world's too depressing to waste time moping around with a sad face."

Paula felt the corners of her lips curling into a smile. "Right," she said softly. "Kuma, I-"

For the second time that day, Paula was interrupted by a violent tremor racking through the ground. None of them had time to react before the resulting geyser viciously exploded at their feet in a mystical cloud of thick smoke. Strange, inky-purple liquid spewed out, painfully bombarding their hair, clothes, and skin like spraypaint. They coughed, blindly scrabbling for air and trying to breathe through the thick sheet of gloop.

"What the-" Kumatora gasped, raising an arm-

Instantly Poo reacted, using the last of his energy to dash around in a circle. A flash of light, and they reappeared further down the mountain.

"Is everyone okay?" Paula coughed, squeezing out her saturated hair. The deep liquid dyed her blond locks an inky violet.

"I think so," Ana responded shakily, stumbling over to where an exhausted Poo had dropped to his knees.

"Wh-What was that?" Picky stammered.

Kumatora frowned, looking uncharacteristically serious. She examined the purple gloop from between her fingers. "If I didn't know better, I'd have thought that this was blood."

"Blood?" they all echoed.

"It's got the same consistency, and it kinda tastes the same. Metallic."

Ana looked like she was going to faint any second. "But it's purple..."

"No, Kumatora's right. This is blood." Poo confirmed, unsteadily pushing himself up with Ana's help. Furrowing his eyebrows into a dramatic frown, he stared down at his violet-coated fingers. "The World...is bleeding."

Silence.

Kumatora started to laugh.

Paula looked completely bewildered. "What's so funny?"

"The Earth? Bleeding? Oh man, this is _rich._" If possible Kumatora laughed louder, clutching at her sides and pounding the ground with her fists. "What, is the world gonna end in some giant, planetary PMS-"

"WE HAVE CHILDREN PRESENT," Paula snapped, clapping her hands over Picky's ears.

Thankfully, they were spared an awkward silence when Poo abruptly flattened himself against the dirt. Cocking his head, the Dalaamese prince intently set one ear against the dirt as if listening carefully for something.

"Great. What is he doing now?" Kumatora grumbled.

Ana only watched her childhood friend with quiet intensity. "Poo's highly gifted in the Dalaamese Arts. If anyone can figure out what's happening to the Earth, he can."

In a mixture of trepidation, anticipation, and (in Kumatora's case) impatience, they watched him for any sign of disturbance on his features.

Poo slowly peeled himself off the ground. An unusually grim expression was plastered on his face. "This is worse than I imagined. Let us return to the city. We need to warn Ness before it's too late."

"What's happening, Poo?" Ana interrupted, worriedly grabbing his arm. "What's going on?"

Kumatora let loose a bark of laughter. "Seriously though, we're not gonna die, are we?"

Poo only quickened his pace. "Not yet. But if we don't figure out a way to fix this problem, then yes, we may possibly die."

His words wiped the smirk from Kumatora's mouth. She scowled in frustration. "What do you mean _'We may possibly die_'? Damn it, Poo, can you stop beating around the bush and tell us what's going on?!"

Poo halted in his tracks. "Can't you sense it, Kumatora?" he said softly.

Kumatora paused. A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. "Sense what?"

Gentle snowflakes began to flutter from the sky. Ominous thunderclouds rumbled overhead, an unseen audience waiting for an answer with bated breath.

The Dalaamese prince stared at her with bleak eyes. "The Earth is dying. The world as we know it is coming to an end."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The bored cashier boy sighed. Business at the burger shop was strangely slow today. Briefly flicking out his phone, the apron-clad lad checked the time.

Eleven-fifty. Come midnight and his shift would finally be over.

He impatiently pocketed his phone. "Next," he droned.

As the next customer sidled up towards him, he blinked.

Then blinked again.

A young, blond-haired girl about his age had walked up to the counter.

A completely normal sight, had she not looked like she had been dragged hundreds of miles down a highway. Cuts and scrapes littered her faces and hands. Brambles and twigs stuck out of her long, disheveled hair like porcupine quills, and her half-lidded eyes spoke volumes of sleep-deprivation. And to his awe, this odd pixie of a girl leaned across the counter to make a similarly odd request.

"I'd like to speak to the manager," she said quietly.

The boy blinked again. He cleared his throat. "The manager is busy. I can take your order."

"The manager knows me. Please, I need to talk to him."

A skeptical quirk of an eyebrow. "The manager knows you _personally_?"

"Yes, he does," she begged meekly. "Tell him that a girl named Ana is here to see him."

"Our manager's a good man," he argued, eyeing her with distaste. "He'd never trifle with the likes of you."

"Hey!" Another blonde with a shoulder-length crew-cut butted in angrily. "She's not lying! We really are friends of Teddy!"

"I don't know what kind of trick you're playing, Miss, but you're holding up the line," the boy interrupted, waving a hand towards the ironically non-existent line of customers. "If you want to order, please wait for your turn."

A shadow suddenly loomed over him. "Fine. You want an order, _shrimpy_?"

Looking up, the boy gulped as he met eye to eye with a fiery, pink-haired girl. Sparks flew from her furious eyes, and the boy resisted the urge to scream.

"Y-Yes?" he squeaked, voice cracking to his embarrassment.

She leaned over, skewering him with her sharp glower. "I'd like to order six Happy Meal Combos with a large side of fries, and oh right, some _PUNCH_." She suddenly wrenched the poor cashier boy over the counter by the collar of his shirt. "No, seriously," she breathed with a snarl, slamming a free hand against the marble. "Do any of us look like we're _joking_? Go fetch the manager. _Now._"

"Kuma!" Ana squeaked, looking absolutely mortified. "Let him go!"

"I'll let him go when this prick shows us some _manners._"

"Kumatora," Poo repeated warily. "I honestly don't think this is a great, tactical approach-"

"SCREW TACTICAL APPROACHES! I'm cold, tired, and hungry as _fuck,"_ Kumatora hissed, her face a turning blotchy red. "Every second we waste trying to cater to this chump means another second that one of your lost, dim-wit friends might get himself killed!"

_"...Kumatora?"_

The said girl immediately halted in the middle of her rant. "DUSTER?"

Two men had just walked out of the _Staff-Only _rooms. One was a stocky, muscle-ripped hunk who wouldn't seem out of place in a pro-wrestling, male-model magazine. His large Adam's apple and thick biceps literally _screamed _manly, and along with his cocky smirk and dark-tinted shades, one sight of this man would probably make Olympic wrestlers scream and run for mama.

In sharp contrast, his companion couldn't look any more different. Shaggy, brown hair drooped tiredly over equally weary eyes and a wiry, lean frame. The man's left leg shifted uncomfortably in a clear sign of a limp, but his warm brown eyes shone of honesty and concern. This man, Poo assumed, was Duster_._

"Isn't this a neat surprise? I never really liked bullies." Teddy flashed them a dangerous, badboy smile. "Hey, kid, who do you think you are, some highschool wrestling champ?"

"Yeah," Kumatora snarled, clenching her fists defiantly. "I actually am. You got a problem with that?"

The muscleman threw her another wicked smirk, but this time, it was tinged with a hint of steel. "I like your attitude, missy, but if I were you, I wouldn't mess around with those fists in _my_ restaura-"

"Teddy?" Ana broke out timidly.

Recognizing her, Teddy did a double-take. "What the-" His eyes widened in shock. "_Ana_?"

"Kuma, what's going on?" Duster lowered his voice, studying all of their exhausted faces. Silent realization dawned in his eyes. "These children-"

"Long story short, we were all kidnapped by a megalomaniac who wanted to sap our PSI," Kumatora said bluntly, dropping the cashier boy from her grasp.

Duster scrutinized her like a truth-detector, but his shoulders quickly slumped in relief. "I thought that note was fishy," he said quietly. "You never would've walked out on them."

"What note?" Kumatora said sharply.

After a moment of hesitation, Duster slipped out a crumpled piece of paper on his pocket. "The day after you went missing, your adopted parents raised the alarm. They were worried sick; apparently they thought you ran away because of some argument you had with them the night before. When they finally dialed 911 to report your absence, Wess answered the call. The only sign we found of you was a handwritten note saying that you'd had enough, that you didn't care if your parents thought becoming a wrestling coach was unfitting for a girl." Duster shifted his gaze. "There were no fingerprints."

Clutching the note, Kumatora stared the crumpled note in her hands. Her expression was unreadable. "I _did_ write this..." she said slowly, not meeting Duster's eyes. "But I swear, I was planning to shred it," she muttered defensively. "I don't remember exactly what happened, but after I argued with my parents, I needed to talk to you. I must've left this note behind when I sprinted over to your place, but that was when..."

"I think I can figure it out," Duster finished gently.

"Giygas..." Kumatora's features hardened. "Somehow he knew all along..."

"Giygas?" Duster asked sharply. "What does _he_ have to do with this?"

"Excuse me, Duster, sir, if I may interrupt," Poo began, stepping forward. "We can answer more questions in private. There are ears everywhere."

Duster nodded, sweeping his gaze over the fast-food restaurant. It was empty, save for the lone cashier cowering under the counter. "Right. Teddy, if you could-"

"On it, bro." Teddy snapped his fingers. "Hey, Nichol!"

"S-Sir?" All attention flew to the quavering teen by the cash register. "You know these kids?" he asked weakly.

"Know them? Of course I know them!" Teddy smiled widely. "These kids helped me out a while back. Saved me from a false marijuana lawsuit!"

Nichol blanched. "I-I'm sorry, sir," he stammered shakily. "I thought that they were up to no good, sir, and I didn't want them to bother you if they were part of the BB-"

"No need," Teddy said airily. "I know you meant well, Nick." He flipped him a key. "Here, take the day off."

"S-Sir?"

"Frank told me that today's gonna be a slow day, so it's a good time to close shop. I don't see any customers," Teddy said, inclining his head towards the empty room. "Besides, I've got to settle some _private_ business with these kids. Just sayin' - as far as _you_ know," Teddy jabbed a finger at him. "You ain't see or hear none of us tonight. Got that?"

"Yeah! Yep, I definitely didn't see anyone here tonight." Nichol nodded his head furiously.

"An' don't worry about it - you'll still get full pay."

Gratitude dawned on the teen's face. "Thanks, Teddy."

"Don't mention it, bucko. Lock the doors behind you, will yah?"

With a curt nod and a scrambling of limbs, the teen immediately disappeared with the distinct clicking of a bolt sliding into place.

Instantly, Teddy dropped his cool facade. "Cool. Now we _talk._"

Duster eyed all of their exhausted faces in concern. "I think they might want some food first, Teddy. These kids look like they haven't eaten an actual meal in ages..."

"Yes, _PLEASE,"_ Kumatora groaned, almost drooling at the thought of food. "Food sounds gooooooood..."

Duster reached for his wallet. "I can-"

A large hand stopped his progress. "Oh, no you don't. Lucky, _this_ is on the house." Before Duster could protest, Teddy slid over the counter and dashed into the kitchen with remarkable agility. Flinging on an apron (which read _Kiss My Fist_), Teddy threw them an enthusiastic smirk. "One giant order of Onett's best burgers _COMING RIGHT UP!_"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Duster carefully trained his eye on the strange party of people.

The exotic-looking teen - Kumatora mentioned that his name might've been _Poo_, but Duster wasn't sure if she was joking - calmly settled into a booth, conversing quietly under his breath with Ana and a rather serious-looking Teddy. Across from them, Paula listened in rapt attention as Picky, dozed off on her shoulder.

To be fairly honest, Duster had never seen a group of people devour food so quickly. Paula had ravenously chowed down her second chicken sandwich, gulping it down into two bites; Picky had downed a full burger with no intention of stopping; Ana had swallowed down French Fries like water. The only person who didn't seem to enjoy the food as enthusiastically was Poo, who quietly picked at his patty, but in no time, all the dishes were spot clean of any crumbs.

Kumatora gave a loud belch, then banged a fist against the counter. "Oh man, now that was some good stuff." She threw Duster her trademark smirk. "So, how's it been without me? I bet it's been great, huh?"

Her joking tone failed to brighten his mood. Duster trailed his eyes towards the sleepy bunch. "It hasn't been good, I'm afraid," he admitted. "I found out Lucas went missing about a week ago. Have you seen him?"

Kumatora paused. "Well, not exactly_._ I didn't actually see him _in person_ per se..." She stared at her fingers. "But Claus was a total wreck. He'd better have found his brother..."

Duster said nothing, but Kumatora noticed how his knuckles turned white. "I can't believe anyone would commit such a despicable crime," Duster said softly. "Kidnapping and hurting children all for the sake of PSI..." Duster shifted her a side-glance. "What does Giygas think to achieve from this?"

"In all honesty? I don't know." Kumatora's face hardened. She gripped the table tightly. "I was trapped there the longest. Giygas was really careful not to let details slip up, but if there's one thing I know, Giygas doesn't want us anymore. He's after one of _them._"

"Them?"

"The missing boys. I don't know whom he's _specifically_ after, but if I had wager a bet, I'd put my money on one of the twins."

Duster fell silent. "He's hunting them down."

Kumatora laughed darkly. "Right in one. Geez, if he even _tries_ to harm Lucas..." Kumatora grimly cracked her knuckles. "There'll be hell to pay."

"I didn't know you knew Lucas well."

"I don't," Kumatora muttered. "But nobody deserves the mind-fuck Giygas is putting us through. Well, that, and I think Lucas is _way_ cooler than his twin. Claus is a downright ass."

Duster stared into his hot chocolate. "You just caught him at a bad time. Claus is very overprotective of his brother."

"...You've got to be kidding me, Duster._ Overprotective_? Puh-lease, he's a dick." Kumatora rolled his eyes. "I met him for _five_ seconds, and I already wanted to _strangle_ him."

"Claus acts before he thinks. Kind of like you."

The soda can crumpled in Kumatora's hand. "DON'T YOU DARE COMPARE ME TO HIM."

Duster stifled a smile. "But both of you also have a bigger heart than you'd like to admit," he added gently.

Kumatora stuck her nose into the air. "Yeah right," she sniffed. "What do _you_ know? As if I'd ever go soft on anyone."

Duster merely shook his head with a knowing smile. But before long, a shadow loomed over him, cutting their conversation short.

Teddy scratched a hand behind his neck. "Uhh...Duster, these kids...they've been through a lot. Like, a LOT. To top that, Ninten's still missing, and hell, some parts even _I_ find it hard to believe." The macho-man gave a soft, disbelieving chuckle. "Magic. An unstoppable apocalypse. It makes sense, but at the same time, it's so _unreal_, man." He crossed his arms with a sigh. "But I believe them, dude. I really do. Maybe I'm the one going completely cuckoo..."

Teddy shook his head again. "But all of that can wait. These kids need a place to stay. But I'm afraid I can't offer them lodging here, yah know? Crashing here is pretty dangerous, 'cause I have no idea if anyone from my asshole ex-gang might show up, and if Frank finds this whole place in shambles, oh man, he's gonna have my ass on the platter-"

"Don't worry, Ted." Duster rose. "I've got this covered. Give Frank my thanks."

Teddy frowned. "But aren't you and Wess-"

"He won't hurt me."

Teddy studied his expression. "I owe you one, man," he said sincerely.

"Don't mention it."

"...What's going on?" Paula asked wearily, poking an Picky awake. "Are we going somewhere?"

"If we want to save your friends and the world, then we've gotta get you guys some rest." Duster swung his legs around the table with remarkable agility for someone with a limp. "My dad's the police chief. He'll know where to start, and you'll be in safer hands."

"Remember, if ya'll find any way that I can help, let me know," Teddy interrupted, giving a determined nod.

"Thanks, Teddy," Ana said quietly.

Kumatora spared Duster a concerned look. _Are you sure about this?_

Duster shrugged. "It's the only choice we have," he merely said, hoisting Picky up in his arms and striding out of the restaurant.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Heya guys!**

**Holy crap. After some disastrous technical difficulties, I pulled an allnighter to pretty much retype the entire ****chapter from scratch (15,000+ without the A/N!). Forgive me if the quality isn't up to par - I was in quite a rush. I had to split the chapter because it was a monster, so double update hooray**

**While there are some important plot points, most of this chapter contains NECESSARY filler/fluff/fastfood. And religion because Ana.**

**Starting from today, I will be completely withdrawing from anything related to Fanfiction until Dec 17. This is because my finals are starting _this_ week. Since my ochem professor is also my research mentor, he checks my exam scores when he gets bored...which is all the time. So if I don't get an A, I'm in for a grilling haha**

**I'm gonna cut this A/N short to work on my ochem lab report due Monday. Then take a nap if I can. idk I'll find time for sleep later. oh geezus my fingers are shaking haha**

**Good luck with your exams!**

* * *

**Cranky Sky:** Yes, Mani-Mani has an interesting game set up for out protags. Let's see if they can escape now. :) And ah, it's no sweat; I understand that we all get really busy at points. Thanks for reviewing. :)

**ConnorTheSpellingPro:** Haha good eye; I think I meant to write that Mani-Mani could process emotions the same way as humans do, but I must've accidentally cut the sentence off so it gives off the impression that "Mani-Mani can't process emotions at all." Oops :x. I will fix that...after my finals...And is BuzzBuzz really Ninten? We may never know, Connor. ;)

And no, I haven't watched Game of Thrones (even though I really want to)! I did buy _Way of Kings_, but it will remain unread until I finish exams. :( And interesting, you already have a prediction concerning the (your quote-on-quote) "Sacrifice one person to save the world" theory...I guess we'll just have to wait and see if it's correct. :)

**PSIBoy: **Thanks for the OoC check! Glad to know the characters weren't completely losing it (well technically, they were, but oh well). Again, I like your predictions, but I'm not spoiling anything. ;) And as for why I didn't vary the character deaths...we will see. ;) Or maybe I am simply trolling you with answers I don't have (jk, I swear I do have answers to your question haha). And who knows why BuzzBuzz is a jerk? Maybe he's a jerk because...he's a jerk? :D Wow I am trolling you hard today - my bad DX

No comment on Teddy, but Lloyd will appear next chapter along with some new characters. And thanks - I'm glad that you think my chapters are thought-provoking. *Throws confetti into the air* Hooray my rambling is not useless after all! And I feel you - new plot bunnies are the Devil. And LoL at the "Ganandorf is secretly ManiMani" conspiracy...Or should I say...LoZ? ;D Thank you for the exam well-wishes btw~

**Guest:** Hey there. :) Welcome to Fanfiction. I'm glad that you like my fic, but also feel feel to criticize it whenever haha! And ugh, gurl, I'm sorry, but I'm the WORST person to talk to about one-story commitment. D: It takes me a while to settle with a story I feel comfortable with (such as this one). But once I settle with one, the commitment comes. :) So make a plot, and see where you go. I'm not a writing expert (lol science major), but you already sound like you know what you're doing. Wish you luck~

**PollyannaMother3:** EXACTLY, EMOTIONS ARE HUMAN ARGGGH! *Inserts pirate-like accent here* And ahhhh thank you; your consideration and patience means a lot to me. :)

**Plushiepaw: **Speaking of chapter length, this one's a monster. DX Sorry about the inconsistency! And thanks for the exam well-wishes; luckily, Calc went pretty decently. :) All I have to do is study for finals~

No need to apologize for questions! It helps me realize if I'm doing something wrong, and it's especially important since we're not supposed to know what's going on until the next few chapters (Until Somewhere by ~Chapter 26). And yes, lots of death and sacrifice. LOTS OF IT. Wow...I shouldn't really sound excited to kill off my characters haha. Well, we'll see who dies off soon (wow that sounded oddly morbid). And hey, I love angst too. ANGST BUDDIES! (Again, I really shouldn't be excited about fictional pain and suffering, but oh well). And as for if the Masked Man will make an appearance...no comment. ;) As for BuzzBuzz's identity...we shall see. :) You had quite a few important questions that I'm sure other readers shared, so I will answer them systematically:

**(1) We will get an explanation to why Fassad is working with ManiMani (Somewhere Chapter 27-29)**

**(2) The emphasis on the final Needle will also be explained in a future chapter (Somewhere Chapter 26-27)**

**(3) ManiMani's motives for pulling the Final Needle will also be revealed in future chapters (~Chapter 25-27)**

**(4) _For the Power of Love_ will be divided into five parts, which means I'm diving the fic into five story arcs. Several chapters will fall under one arc. The story arcs are labeled in the chapter contents (oh lawd heaven forbid I write five fics)**

**DarkFoxKit: **Heya Fox! Yes, ManiMani is about to toy with the four boys. This will indeed be fun to write about :) And yes, you are doubly correct: the last half of Chapter 22 is spoken by BuzzBuzz, and so far, evidence suggests that either Lucas or Claus will die if they pull the Final Needle...which will also be explored in future chapters :)

**A Fan:** What can I say? Plots twists are my jam. ;) Haha oh gods, I laughed so hard at the first two sentences of your summary, by the way ("Ness, Ninten, Lucas, and Claus are trying to do.. something. I forgot what the point of them being there was.") Not because I'm being mean, but because YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT; this story has been designed so that readers don't understand what EXACTLY is going on until around ~ Chapter 26-28, where the punchline hits; but from around Chapter 22 onwards, several hints/plotlines will be dropped to confirm any suspicions. ...Or maybe I'm just a raving, sleep-deprived lunatic who has no idea what she's talking about haha. But yes, basically, you hit the nail on the head. ManiMani and BuzzBuzz are not on the same side, and they want to use Lucas for different purposes...or do they? *DUNDUNDUN*

AND IT'S OKAY READING INTO RANDOM LOG ENTRIES IS THE NUMBER ONE SIGN OF SANITY ;D

Oh lawd, have I mentioned that I love your sense of humor? I was reading over your "Eyes sparkling with innocence = evil" theory, and totally did a spit-take when you added _*may not apply to anime_. Ow my nose haha

And yes, so far Evil!Giygas sounds a lot like ClichedEvil!Giygas. He tries too hard to be cool D:

**[Insert Appropriate Disclaimer Here]**


	24. One Fateful Night

"Are we there yeeeeeeeet...?" Kumatora groaned piteously. Her arms flopped against her sides like a pair of lifeless fish. "Duster, I'm _tired_."

"Almost there. Two more blocks."

Damp, dusty streetlamps flickered and groaned, casting shadows over the cobbled pavement. A pair of wide, luminous eyes blinked from the gloom before the stray cat darted away. Darkness quickly swallowed up its form.

The ominous neighborhood sent cold shivers prickling up their skin like icy fingers, and Picky involuntarily shied closer, clutching Paula's hand. But as Duster had predicted, they soon found themselves standing in front of a respectable-looking hovel. Walking up to the **Welcome **mat, Duster rested one finger against the doorbell and froze. "Uh, so..."

Kumatora frowned. "What gives?"

"My dad can be a little...intimidating," Duster said carefully. "But he'll be willing to help us out."

Duster's odd warning was met with several looks of blank confusion. However, even as the scraggly-haired man maintained a casual air, Kumatora noticed how his knuckles whitened over the doorknob.

"Duster, if you don't wanna do this, you really don't have to," she muttered. "Seriously, we can find lodging elsewhere."

With a rather sharp intake of breath, Duster's lips caved into a strained smile. His voice sounded steady. "Thank you, Kumatora. But I'm afraid that this meeting's been long overdue."

Catching the change in tone, Paula hesitated. _Just what kind of person was this Wess? _she wondered, flickering her eyes towards the nervous bassist. _Duster looks uncomfortable, and he's such a chill person..._

But before anyone else could object, Duster pushed the doorbell.

**Ring~**

**Ring~**

**Ri-**

"WHO THE BLAZES IS AT THE DOOR?" exploded a loud, thunderous roar that buffeted their ears. The glass windows rattled from the sheer bombardment of sound.

Duster cleared his throat. "Hey, dad...It's me."

Silence.

"YOU'VE GOT THE NERVE TO RETURN HERE AFTER YESTERDAY!" Came the furious response that boomed into their ears, making them jump. "DID YOU FINALLY DROP THAT USELESS MUSIC DEGREE?"

Duster winced. "I..uh..."

The door suddenly burst open, revealing a short, blotchy-faced old man. "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT THEN, YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILD!" the old man bellowed, shooing at him with a cane. "I gave you a choice, didn't I? Either you choose a respectable major, or I disown you. AND WHAT DID YOU TELL ME? "Dad, disown me," you said! "I'm gonna be a music major and you can't stop me," you said! Then you trudged off to your FAMOUS BAND, and NOW you come crawling back like I'm going to forgive you after all these years! HAH!"

"WHO THE HELL ARE _YOU_ TO TELL DUSTER HOW TO LIVE HIS LIFE?!" Kumatora screamed. "Duster is an AMAZING person, and you have no right to tell him otherwise!"

"Kuma, please stop-"

The pink-haired teen ignored Duster's warning. "You know what, maybe it's a GOOD thing that you disowned him, BECAUSE DUSTER DOESN'T DESERVE A DAD LIKE YOU!"

There was an awkward pause.

"...S-She didn't mean to say that," Duster said, throwing Kumatora an unusually sharp look that forced her to snap her mouth shut.

"Duster..." Wess's voice sounded dangerously soft, squinting into the gloom. "Who's outside with you?"

"The missing students. I found them at the local diner."

Duster's father said nothing. Then he opened the door ajar.

Wess's cranky face greeted them at the doorway. He resembled an older version of Duster himself. Wispy, white hair indicated age, but curled the same way Duster's did at the edges. Sharp, birdlike features and glittering wary eyes adorned his face, and a broad, square jaw radiated painstaking stubbornness.

"Forgive me for the lack of hospitality," Wess said gruffly to the teens after throwing a withering look to Duster's hunched form. "My son and I have some... past _disagreements _that we don't quite see face to face." He shot Kumatora a glare. "And as long as you stay out of our _family affairs_, you are welcome to stay as long as you wish."

Kumatora glowered at the floor. The tension was so palpable that everyone shifted uncomfortably.

Poo threw Paula a careful look. _We must tread lightly and with caution._

_Right. _Paula eyed Wess uncomfortably. _I feel really bad for Duster. Wess sounds like a horrible parent._

_No shit, _Kumatora thought out loud, clenching her fists. _W__ess is the reason for Duster's limp._

_...What?! _They all cried in shock.

_But why would someone cripple their own son? _Ana asked horrified, eyeing Duster in concern. _Isn't Wess the police chief?!_

Kumatora hesitated. _Wess pushes Duster hard. He has high...expectations, _she muttered distastefully. _Duster's limp was apparently the result of some endurance training gone wrong, but if __you ask me, that's a load of bullshit. Still, I__ hate to say this, but it's Duster's problem, and we have to let him deal with it on his own._

_That sounds cruel, _Ana said quietly.

_We don't have a choice._

"So do any of you have injuries I should know about?" Wess asked in deep concern. "I will call for an ambulance-"

"We're fine!" Paula protested.

"This is standard protocol. I'm afraid that I cannot abstain, young lady." Wess frowned. "But first, I would like to hear your accounts." His eyes flickered over Kumatora's features. "Even if they do sound...out of the ordinary."

Ana's blood ran cold. _We can't tell him about PSI!_

_No. We can. _Kumatora scowled, slumping against the chair. _Wess knows._

_How? _Paula was again surprised. Wess clearly knew much more than he let on.

Kumatora uncomfortably shifted in her seat. _Reasons,_ she said, sounding reluctant.

"By all due respect, chief, it is a long story," Poo warned. "Several of our friends are also still missing."

"That is fine. Make yourselves comfortable. You five must have been through quite an ordeal," Wess grumbled in a deep voice. His hard eyes softened by a fraction. "I'm an old, cranky fart, but you have nothing to worry about. I hold your safety in high concern."

In a twisted way, Paula didn't disbelieve it. Wess genuinely cared about their welfare.

"But before we discuss how to save your friends, I would like to confirm your identities." Wess shuffled a few papers on his desk, then selected several choice files. He peered into the contents. "...Paula Polestar?"

"Present," Paula said quietly.

The roll call continued. As soon as he had jotted down their names, Wess leaned back against his desk.

"...that still leaves four students missing," Wess muttered, slumping over in defeat. He looked positively drained. "The Mock Trial Captain, the Freshman Class president, and Flint's two sons. I hope you all have an explanation for their absence, because I have some worried parents who've been calling my office _every single day _for any iota of good news." Wess rubbed his head in frustration, and as he did so, two of the four manila folders in his hands slid onto the desk. With a sick jolt, they recognized Ninten and Ness's smiling portraits from the Missing Child posters.

"Oh, we found them all right," Kumatora said. "But..."

"We parted due to unfortunate circumstances outside city borders," Poo finished.

Wess blanched. "They're stuck _in the wilderness?!"_

"Yes, sir," Paula said firmly. "And we need your help to find them-"

"No can do."

"WHY NOT?!" Paula cried, her temper threatening to explode. Her blue eyes smoldered angrily like a pair of sparking embers. "Officer Wess, my friends have been stuck outside _for the past three days_. They could be dying of hypothermia for all we know!"

"Miss Polestar, listen to what I have to say." Wess crossed his arms with a dark scowl. "I can't send men off into the wilderness. No sane man is willing to set foot there, and especially not now. Rumors are flying between the men, and they speak of fantastic things. Geysers of blood. Massive tremors. Clouds of purple smoke. If I didn't know better, I'd say it's all MAGIC."

They all exchanged a nervous glance. Wess didn't seem to notice though.

"I can send helicopters to take surveillance." Wess slammed the phone receiver down. "But with chimaeras and geysers on the loose, I don't know if I want to risk the lives of my platoon so carelessly."

Wess exhaled a loud sigh, then set a palm on his face. His face looked every year as old as he lived. "Poor Flint," he murmured. "He's trying to hold it together, but now that Hinawa and the twins are gone...I don't know how long he'll last..."

Paula's heart plummeted. "So you can't do anything...?"

Wess threw them all a sharp glare. "Absolutely not! I don't think I can do much, but I'm not giving up on your friends. That's my job, aint it? To save lives." He reached his hand towards his phone. "In the meantime, I will phone your parents and-"

"No," Paula said suddenly. "Don't call my parents."

Wess frowned. "With all due respect, young lady-"

"I can't go home. I can't go back until we find Ness. If my parents figure out I'm here, they wouldn't let me help," Paula said shakily, balling her fists. "I'm sorry to intrude upon your hospitality for the night, sir, but I think I know a friend who can take us in tomorrow." Her eyes flickered to Picky. "But you can-"

With a jolt, Picky lifted his head. Throwing her a frightened look, Picky rapidly shook his head. Paula didn't have to read his mind to know what he was trying to say.

_Please don't send me home._

**_Don't send me home._**

Paula closed her mouth, petering off into awkward silence.

Luckily, no one seemed to notice her moment of hesitation. "I concur," Poo said. "Ness and his friends have entrusted us with their lives, and I will not rest until they are safe."

Wess threw Poo an irritated look. "While you might hold certain authority in your home country, you must remember that you are bound to our laws during your stay. The royal family will be deeply displeased if you have broken your oath to keep the peace, and our military will frown upon your rash actions, _Prince Poo._"

Paula and Picky looked stunned by the announcement. _Prince_ Poo?

Poo clenched his jaw. "A heir is easily replaceable. A good friend is not. The Dalaamese rank loyalty and reason above everything else, officer. I will fight to protect my friends, and if that is against the law, then I do not wish to reside in a country of such low morals."

Even as a rebellious spirit herself, Kumatora had to gape at Poo's cold audacity. All formalities aside, he was downright accusing the Eagleland government of corruption.

But Wess only grunted. "Never expected a truer answer from a Dalaamese prince. Very well, Prince Poo, I will not force you and your friends to return to your homes." Wess snorted. "The army's a corrupt, money-scamming corporation brainwashing the lives of innocent, hardworking men willing to fight for this blasted country. I'm glad you disagree with our customs."

Poo only gave a stiff nod in response.

Wess sighed in frustration. "So let me guess. PSI mumbo-jumbo is causing all of this foolhardiness, and you all are the only people who can stop this."

"Pretty much," Kumatora said wryly.

Wess groaned. "I should've known. _Magic, _always ruining standard protocol...But damn, I never cared for the protocol. Very well, let's see what we can do." Wess clicked the phone back onto the receiver. "Usually, when I find missing children, the first thing I'm supposed to do is notify your parents." He noted their wary expressions. "But I suppose we can't really do that, can we?"

"No, sir, we can't," Paula said.

"That means I will have to violate protocol, which means that as far as I'm concerned, none of you stepped foot into my house tonight. Which means that after tonight, you should find another friend to take you in." Wess's eyes flickered towards Duster. "If I make any breakthroughs, my son will let you know. In the meantime, I will call your parents, _but_-" he interrupted their protests with a raised finger. "I will let them know that you are safe, even though as far as _I'm_ concerned, I have absolutely _no_ idea where you five are. Does this sound fair?"

Paula sighed in relief. "Thank you, sir."

Wess gave an impatient nod. "It's gonna be tough dealing with your hysterical parents, but if it concerns PSI...I suppose I don't have a choice, do I?" He threw them a look. "Please don't get yourselves killed for the greater good."

"We won't, old man."

Wess glared. "That's _Wess _to you, _Miss Kumatora."_ He waved them off. "Now go. Shoo. I need make a few phone calls, and it won't be pretty."

On that note, their audience with the police chief came to a close.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Duster."

Duster stiffened at the doorway. "...Dad."

"I disapprove of your career."

"This is my life, dad," Duster explained wearily. "I'm happy with where I am. If you can't accept me for who I am, then I'm afraid I can't help you."

The older man sighed, draping his hand over his eyes. "Why must you do this to yourself, Duster?"

Duster said nothing.

"...You know I do this for you, son," Wess said quietly. "Music occupations aren't stable, and every time you suffer financially, you know I can't support you."

"You don't have to support me. It's my life, dad. I can take care of myself now. I'm twenty-five."

Wess pursed his lips. "And yet you are still a child."

Duster shrugged his shoulders in an uncomfortable slouch. "I'm sorry if you disagree with my life choices, but I'm not sorry for choosing this path." He hesitated as if he were going to say more, but bit his lip hard. Gripping the sides of the couch, Duster limped away.

Wess averted his eyes. "...Duster?"

His son halted.

Wess kept his gaze onto the plaster wall. "I have always been hard on you...and there are things I regret...yet, I have always meant the best for you. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah."

Wess winced at the emotionless, matter-of-fact tone in Duster's voice, but instantly hid it under a scowl. "And straighten your back!" he snapped. "A curved spine is nothing to be laughing at when you turn old and gray like me!"

"Sure, dad. Whatever you say," Duster muttered, trudging off. But as his son left his office, Wess noticed that Duster had corrected his posture.

Wess's last words rang clearly in their ears.

_I have always meant the best for you._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Poo...? Is Ness going to be okay?"

The Dalaamese prince looked down. Picky was waiting for his response with a hopeful look in his eyes.

Poo snatched a quick look around the room. Kumatora was nowhere to be seen. Ana was blow-drying her hair in the bathroom upstairs, and another side-glance proved Paula's whereabouts. Slumping over by the windowsill, Paula blankly balanced her head on her elbows, watching the snowstorm with far-away eyes.

"...the Captain is a reasonable person," Poo finally said.

Picky blinked up at him. In the dim light, his blue eyes looked older than usual. "I don't mind if you admit that things aren't going okay," Picky said softly. "Poo, I wanted to ask you for your honest opinion. Paula wouldn't want me to worry so she'll sugarcoat things, and I don't know Kumatora and Ana too well..."

For a brief second, Poo looked taken aback by this sudden show of maturity but managed to mask his surprise. The Dalaamese boy chose his words carefully. "It's a little too early to decide if things are going down the hill. But Ness isn't alone. He has a good chance of survival."

In response, Picky slowly nodded, as if he had expected to hear those exact words. "Thanks, Poo."

Responding with an absentminded nod, the older boy studied him in concern. "I apologize, by the way. We forgot to tell Wess to call your parents, and he seems occupied right now. I'm afraid you'll have to stay with us for the night..."

"That's okay! I don't mind!" Picky said rather quickly. His lips spread into an eager, over-enthusiastic smile that brightened his features. "Can I tag along with you guys until we find Ness? I wanna help!"

_Oh no. _Poo bit back a wince. It was bad enough that Picky had been dragged into this mess in the first place, but now that the young boy had wanted to help them, especially without PSI...

Poo had to dissuade him.

Feeling so much like a parent, the Poo met Picky's hopeful eyes with a level expression. "You misunderstand the situation. This is not a glorified adventure. Ness's life could be at stake," Poo said quietly. "You should not have been involved in the first place."

Picky's face fell.

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Poo's gaze softened. "You can help by following what Ness told you to do. He is not unreasonable. I imagine that he told you to return home for a good reason."

Picky blinked rapidly, then rubbed his eyes. "I guess..." He looked up with pleading eyes. "Then, can you...can you promise that you'll bring Ness home?"

Poo hesitated. "I cannot guarantee his safety-"

_"Promise."_

"Picky, you cannot make me-"

"Please, Poo." Picky's voice cracked. Moisture rapidly gathered in his eyes. "You don't understand...I-I owe Ness a _lot..._he's like my older brother, and I...you can't let him die..._P-Please_-"

Caving in with a sigh, Poo set a hand on his shoulder. "I will do my best."

Picky nodded. He slowly drew himself up. "Thanks, Poo," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Then don't worry 'bout me. I'll walk home first thing tomorrow-"

"I can walk you home." They jumped at the voice. Duster and Kumatora sauntered in, carrying several sleeping bags in their arms. "All of you are technically supposed to be missing," Duster explained. "So I'll drop Picky off in the morning."

"Thank you, Duster, sir."

"Duster _sir_?" Kumatora cackled loudly, slapping a hand on Duster's back. "Oh, man, this is _priceless_!"

Duster sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not _that_ old, Poo."

Poo opened his mouth to apologize when Kumatora cut across him. "Nah, Poo, don't bother apologizing. Duster's a pretty old geezer compared to us sprightly teens." Kumatora crossed her arms smugly.

"Sprightly?" Duster threw her an amused look. "Since when did you start describing yourself as _sprightly_?"

With a loud laugh, Kumatora socked his shoulder again, and Duster winced.

"Please, Kuma," Duster said with a rather pained look in his face. "You've been abusing my shoulder for the entire night."

"The night ain't over yet! Man up, Duster!" Kumatora cackled, making him wince again when she socked him in the shoulder. But Poo noticed how she gently retracted her fist at the last moment.

...Not that Kuma would admit it.

Kumatora dumped all of the sleeping bags onto the floor, and Duster rubbed his sore shoulder. "You guys are welcome to pick one up and sleep in the empty room upstairs," Duster said. "I don't think anyone's gonna stop by, but tomorrow, you should stay low inside the house. I'll be back late in the evening to escort you out to your friend's house."

Kumatora sniggered. "_Escort_? More like _smuggle _us out."

"Escort sounds much friendlier, Kuma."

Kumatora rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Paula finally peeled herself away from the windowsill to pick up a sleeping bag. "Thank you for your hospitality," she said softly, allowing a small smile to grace her lips. "We really appreciate it."

Duster scratched his head. "It's nothing," he said modestly. The man threw Paula a curious glance. "Your parents don't happen to own a daycare, do they?"

Paula looked startled. "Yes, yes they do. Polestar Preschool."

"I thought so." Duster stuffed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a flier. "This was stuck on the window. I felt bad for taking it off, but I thought you'd appreciate it."

Stunned, Paula reached for the flier and straightened it out. The first half of the flier was a generic _Missing Child_ poster with her face on it; the other half was addressed as a letter. Rough crayon and pencil marks messily scribbled over the paper.

**Dear Paula,**

**How are you doing?**  
**I'm fine.**  
**I fine too!**  
**So are me!**  
**Me also!**  
**Me okay.**  
**Please come and play with us again at the Polestar Preschool.**  
**Oh yeah, one more thing, bring us some presents...if you have any.**

**Sincerely,**  
**Your friends at the Polestar Preschool**

Her fingers suddenly lost all feeling. The letter trembled in her grasp.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Paula set a palm against her open mouth in disbelief. "How could've forgotten about the children at school? And my parents...they must be-" Tears pooled up in her eyes. "What do I d-do? I d-don't have any presents to give them..."

Kumatora rolled her eyes. "That's not the point, _princess_. It's not the presents they want...it's _you_."

To their massive astonishment, tear drops dripped from Paula's eyes, staining the shaking pamphlet in her grip. Silent shudders racked her chest. "I've been such a terrible daughter," she croaked. "All this time, I didn't want to call home because I wanted to save my friends, and I didn't think about my parents and now...How could I do this to them?"

"It's okay, Paula," Ana began. "I'm sure they'll understa-"

Suddenly, Paula buried her head into her hands into a quiet sob. Wet droplets hit the carpet, seeping into the fibers in tiny dots of misery. Soft hiccups rattled her aching ribs. "Oh gods...what have I done?" Paula choked. "Wh-what have I...d-done...?"

As the tension of the past few days caught up to her, Paula began to weep. Hot, prickling shame filled her heart, puncturing it in a mixture of loathing and self-disgust.

Finally, Kumatora shook her shoulder. "Hey. Hey, look at me, Paula."

_Paula_. Not _Princess._

Watery-eyed, Paula glanced up to Kumatora's soft smirk.

"If you think _you're_ a horrible person, then what d'you think _that_ makes me?" Kumatora asked, waggling her eyebrows. "The spawn of _Satan_?"

Paula hiccuped harder, trying to stop a hysterical laugh from breaking through her sobs.

Kumatora slung an arm over her shoulder. "That's what I thought. See here, Paula, it ain't over yet until it's over. We're gonna find your friends, beat Giygas up into oblivion, then face our pissed-off parents together!" Paula hiccuped again, and Kumatora laughed. "I disappeared right after I _argued_ with my parents_, _but at least you left on a good note, right? So cheer up, frowny-face." Kumatora elbowed her in the side. "And don't you dare break down on me now. If you completely lose it, who would I pick on? _Princess _Poo?"

Poo threw her a deadpan look, and Kumatora smiled sweetly. _Love you too__,_ she mouthed.

With another shaky laugh, Paula buried her head into Kumatora's shoulder. "I'm s-sorry," Paula said, muffling her voice. "I just need to...I'm sorry...okay, I th-think I'm good." Withdrawing from the embrace, Paula dabbed at her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kuma, I don't know wh-what came over me..."

Kumatora narrowed her eyes into a look of disapproval. "Remember what I said about apologies."

Paula gave another shaky laugh. "Right. Won't happen again, Kuma. Really." Sniffling, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "And thanks for delivering this letter to me, Duster. It means a lot.."

"I'm glad it did," Duster said, lost in a trance. Without asking, Kumatora knew that he was thinking of another missing blond.

A small pair of arms hugged her neck from behind, and Paula suddenly snapped up in shock. "Don't cry, Paula," Picky mumbled, his voice sounding muffled. "It's okay to miss home..."

"And don't be sorry," Ana added fiercely, crawling to her side. "You're the least selfish person I've ever known."

Poo gripped her other hand. "You're not alone."

It took Paula all of her strength not to bawl on the spot, but there had been enough crying for one day. Thinking about Ness lost in the snow, her determination strengthened, and with it returned her fiery spirit.

"We can do this," Paula said quietly.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Lonely.

Tracy felt awfully lonely. With her older brother missing, it was as if she had lost a good chunk of her heart.

Well...at least she still had mom...

But sometimes, Tracy missed doing stupid, sibling things that Moms couldn't understand. Like trying to tickle each other's feet under the dinner table without getting caught. Or making someone snort out milk by pulling funny faces. Or even saying silly shit about each other just to see the exasperated look on their mother's face.

Her eyes gravitated to the empty seat next to her, and as if it were Taboo, Tracy immediately averted her eyes.

What an odd change. Whenever she was in a bad mood, dad was never there and mom...mom was sometimes too busy. But Ness had always been there for her. Even if he was an overgrown, teenage dork, her brother had always been there to annoy the heck out of her.

Tracy stifled a smile. Ness hated seeing her upset. She could almost hear his voice right now.

_W__hy so down, Trace?" _Ness would smirk annoyingly, then sweep his hat onto her hair because he knew how much she hated it._ "C'mon, sis, stop being a whiner. Everything's gonna be okey."_

Disgruntled, she'd knock the hat off (because she really hated getting hat hair), then wail that everything was never going to be okay, that he ruined her hair, and that he was the most awful brother ever. Ness would only laugh harder, so Tracy would end up messing up _his_ hair, and then they would soon be engaged in a free-for-all where the glory of being the Alpha Sibling was at stake. Usually though, Ness would let her win, and once she had "wrestled" him into submission, he would pull out the big guns.

Calling for help.

_"Mooooom," _Ness would moan, arms flopping pathetically on the floor._ "Tracy's bullying meeeee."_

_"Oh, shut up," _Tracy'd say, feeling her lips curl into a smile and forgetting why she'd been so upset in the first place._ "...Momma's boy."_

Oh gods. Now Tracy would give anything just to have her brother plop his stupid hat on her hair again. In her disquiet, she'd gotten a job at Escargo to keep her mind off things...

But it just wasn't the same without him.

"Tracy," her mother's voice cut in. "Don't play with your food."

Tracy stirred slightly at the rebuke. "Sorry." She slowly stared at her plate. Her stomach gave another sick lurch at the awfully familiar meal in front of her.

Steak and potatoes.

...Ness loved steak.

She sneakily snuck a glance to her right. Judging from her surprised expression, her mother must have cooked this involuntarily, haunted by the loss of her missing son. Once again, worry returned to Tracy ten-fold.

Feeling rather nauseous, Tracy scrunched her eyes tightly, only for Ness's pained face to flash across her mind, and with it, the horrible memory she had tried hard to repress in vain. She remembered the way Ness had protected her during the Starmen attack, the way he had selflessly sacrificed himself for a devastating blow to his ribs...

The way he had contorted and screamed in sheer agony.

Tracy's eyes snapped open, and she fought the urge not to puke. Her brother was fiercely loyal. She had no doubt that Ness would do anything for his friends if they went missing with him.

And Tracy hated it. In a selfish way, she hoped her brother would return in one piece, even if that meant one of his friends had to be injured in his stead. She felt immensely guilty at the thought, but Tracy couldn't help it...she wanted her big brother back. She needed Ness back safe and sound.

_Stop worrying over nothing, _Muttered the reasonable voice in her head. _Ness has PSI. He can fend for himself._

As small a condolence that statement was, it momentarily cleared her head of morbid thoughts.

But mom didn't know that Ness was psychic. Mom didn't know Ness could levitate, use telekinesis, emit streams of destructive sound waves from his hands. Poor mom was huddled sick with worry, wondering how her normal, baby boy was faring in a such a strange, cruel world.

Ness's face popped up in Tracy's mind once again. _Don't tell mom, _he had warned, completely terrified out of his wits. _You can't tell her I can use PSI!_

Tracy quickly snuck another glance down the table. Her mother's eyes were starting to mist over again. Mom never cried, but the defeated look on her face was back. It was so painful for Tracy to watch.

Strengthening her resolve, Tracy swallowed hard. _Sorry, brother. This is for your own good._

Taking a deep breath, she set down her fork with a loud clatter. "Mom, I have something to tell you."

Her exhausted mother met her eyes softly. "What is it, sweetie?"

_Here goes nothing_. "I might sound like I'm making this up, and I know, it'll sound really stupid! But...but...Ness..."

"But...?"

"Ness...he can..." Tracy swallowed hard, scrunching her eyes in growing trepidation. "Ness has psychic powers." Her mother didn't respond, and panicking, Tracy plowed through, desperate to prove her point. "It's true! I saw it with my own eyes! Once he flew up the stairs! And yeah! Last month, he set the stove on fire! WITHOUT turning it on or anything! And-"

"...I see."

Tracy almost spat out her water in disbelief. "W-What? You believe me?"

Her mother met her eyes. "I've known it for a while, dear," she said gently.

Tracy was stunned. She had expected her mother to laugh. Or maybe belittle her with a protest, a _honey, magic doesn't exist _or something else along those lines. "But how?" Tracy sputtered, wiping at her face. "It was a secret-"

"I'm your mother, Tracy," she replied softly, setting down her napkin. "I've raised you both for a long while. Why shouldn't I be able to tell when you two are lying?"

Guilt seared Tracy's heart. She swallowed hard. "Mom, we didn't mean to hide it from you, we just-"

"You weren't ready to tell me," her mother finished gently.

That awful feeling in the pit of Tracy's stomach plummeted to the floor.

The awkward silence was interrupted by the shrill ringing of the phone. Her mother sighed, slipping into the kitchen to wrap up their left-overs. "Tracy, can you answer the call?"

Her hopes sank like a stone. With a heavy heart, Tracy sighed, reluctantly trudging over the ringing phone and slowly picking up the receiver. "...Hello?"

Immediately, her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. As if scalded, the middle-schooler shrieked in shock, dropping the phone in her disorientation. Hearing the loud clatter, her mother abruptly turned off the water.

"Tracy?! What's the matter?"

Moments later, Tracy burst into the kitchen, one hand covering the receiver. "MOM! Mom, you'd better answer this one. It's important!"

Taken aback, her mother wiped her hands on the dish cloth. "Who is it, sweetie?"

Tracy bit her lip.

"It's dad."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Choked gasps racked the air. His entire body pounded with pain.

What was happening?

What was going on?

Was he drowning?

"PK...PK-" he gasped before he was cut off. Water clogged his throat, and Poo sputtered before the river current viciously dragged him down. He kicked his feet in vain, only for his water-logged clothes to get in the way of his swimming. Poo raised his head with a gurgle, then coughed as another wave of water smothered his lips. An awful feeling started to creep up his leg, and Poo had enough baseball experience to recognize the symptoms of a cramp. He panicked, trying to drag himself back to the riverbank, but alas, there was nothing he could do when his calves began to sear with sharp pain.

_No!_

With a painful gurgle, Poo felt his struggling weaken. Slowly, he succumbed, allowing the rage of the water to drag his limp form around like a rag doll. Vague shouting filled his ears, and Poo thought he caught sight of a blur of yellow before the water submerged him completely.

The awful, suffocating feeling clawed into his burning lungs, and instinctively, Poo breathed, but where there was supposed to be _air_, there was _water, _and he was sinking, sinking, _sinking-_

Striped shirt. Brown satchel.

Then last of his precious bubbles pushed past his lips, and Poo knew no more.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Poo gasped awake. His lungs heaved, dying to _breathe_, and to his enormous relief, they drank in air. Sweet, fresh, air. He sat up and slowly massaged his throbbing temples.

"Ness," Poo muttered. The Dalaamese prince wasn't easily scared, but the visions he had been having for the past two days had been frightening at most.

_A strange, alien village burning up in flames..._

_The Final Needle resting in all its glory under the cavernous ceiling of rocky, starry-eyed gemstones..._

_A flurry of baby-blue hexagons, and then a flash of a familiar face. Even now, Poo could feel the twin's heartless__ eyes boring into his skull._

All of them had been distinctly unpleasant, but none had been quite as terrifying. He could still feel the cold water submerging him, forcing itself down his lungs and suffocating his aching throat-

"Poo?"

The prince didn't turn around. "...You should be sleeping."

Ana shrugged uncomfortably, hugging herself. "You should be too," she pointed out.

Poo only closed his eyes. He shook his head slowly. "I had a dream. It is not important-"

Soft fingers settled on his palm like butterfly wings. Arms gently embraced him from behind, and Poo realized that he was shivering. "What's wrong, Poo?" Ana whispered. "You're usually so quiet, but it's not like you to be so withdrawn."

Poo fell silent. "I had a vision about Ness."

Ana pursed her lips. "I see." Her nightgown fanned out beneath her form like rose petals, soft and fragile. "I think Paula's been getting the same visions, but she refuses to tell me what they're about." Worry entered her voice. "What did you see?"

"Ness was drowning."

At the harsh voice, they turned their heads. Paula crawled her way over, careful not to disturb Kumatora and Picky, who were breathing deeply on their sides. Once she settled down next to Ana, Paula buried her head in her arms with a small whine.

"I just need...I just need a break from all _this_, you know?" Paula's voice sounded muffled. "I don't want to sleep. I don't want to sleep because...because..." She made a slightly strangled sound. "I hate nightmares..."

"Welcome to the club," Ana said wryly, scooting over to make on the couch.

Paula gave a weak laugh, which quickly faded. "That idiot," she muttered under her breath. "He _promised_ me that he's gonna be okay, so he'd _better_ be okay."

"But Ness can't swim," Poo mumbled.

Paula's eyes watered. "Ness can't swim," she repeated, rubbing her eyes. "He can't _swim_-"

"But he already knows, right?" Ana asked reasonably. "So all he has to do is avoid water. That's easy enough to do - the mountain's probably frozen solid by now."

"You're right, Ana," Poo muttered, even though he sounded doubtful. "Perhaps this is not a vision, but rather, a harmless nightmare..."

Paula turned away, falling unusually silent.

In a rare burst of initiative, Ana kneeled on the floor and clasped their hands. "I know you two aren't religious, but pray with me," she said quietly. "Please."

After a moment of hesitation, her friends complied. It wasn't so much the belief in a Superior Being, but rather the reassurance that they weren't alone. That the world couldn't possibly be so cruel.

That they weren't about to lose a friend.

Taking a deep breath, Ana began the prayer.

"_Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep..._"

A squeeze of the hand. Ana shifted. Her voice devolved into a soft whisper.

"_If I shall die when I'm wake...I pray the Lord my soul to take._"

Clasping their hands, they closed their eyes as one.

_Amen._


	25. Friendly Neighbors

**Chapter 25 Setting**

**Past**

* * *

**2nd Grade**

"FREAK!"

Shrill screaming hit his ears, a clamor that jarred his mind like a crashing symbol. Feeling the sting of the slap, Pokey flinched, biting the inside of his cheek.

Eyes bulging out of her sockets, his mother shrieked, jabbing her finger at the shattered vase on the ground. Her short hair wildly fanned behind her face, mouth open wide like a terrible banshee. "Clumsy, lazy good-for-nothing! Get out! _GET OUT OUT MY SIGHT!_"

Ignoring the metallic pang of blood on his tongue, Pokey hastily leaped to his feet and ran, bursting through the door. Behind him, he heard a _whish_ of something heavy, and instinctively lurched away from the projectile.

_**BAM!**_

His mother's sharp high heels punched two holes into the plaster wall. Her final screams tore into his ears, then a third _**BAM!** _as he slammed the door in her face.

The poor boy fled. Pokey ran, barreling through neat, prim sidewalks and glowing yellow roofs of houses. Catching his breath in heavy huffs, he doubled over at the end of the block, tightly clutching his hands on his thighs. Something crawled across his back, and Pokey shivered.

Was it guilt? Anger?

Color enshrouded his moist eyes, blanketing them in a gentle wetness. Light slowly slivered into darkness as the first of Dawn tip-toed into day.

"Mom, I'm okay!"

Pokey raised his head.

The new kid stood by the driveway, enthusiastically chatting his mouth away. Ness must've said something silly, because one moment later, he was ducking, trying to run when his mother swooped forward to scoop him into a bear hug. Ness's laughter was infectious, playfully ringing through the air, and Pokey heard his mother murmur rebukes under her breath before pushing a baby-blue umbrella into his hands. Scrambling backwards, the boy whined loudly in protest, but his mother stood firm, ushering him back outside. Taking this as a signal to leave, the boy gave a large pout, then sprinted down the driveway with uplifted spirits.

Very quickly, Pokey turned away, feeling sick to his stomach.

"My mom loves me," Pokey said out loud, but his voice sounded rather small and faraway to his ears. Too tinny, too whiny.

_The voice of a brat,_ his mother would've said.

A queasy feeling of shame blossomed in his boiling blood, and gritting his molars, Pokey clenched his fists. "My mom loves me too!" he shouted, angrily challenging the dark Heavens above. "Just you wait and see! SHE LOVES ME!"

As if in response, the sky rumbled thunderously. The first droplets showered him in a drizzle of tears, pelting his broken heart with its spiteful pellets. With a choke, Pokey bared his teeth against the looming thunderstorm.

"She cares! SHE REALLY DOES!"

Icy rain battered his back, stabbing his skin. Wiping his soaking face, Pokey shivered, standing still with slumped shoulders.

Oh, who was he deluding?

Maybe he should die. Die in the rain.

Would anyone else care? Would anyone else _notice__?_

Nobody liked a fat freak.

"Hey."

Alarmed, Pokey shot his head up. Ness was staring at him, clutching his blue umbrella from behind his fingers.

Silent outrage seared his raw throat. "What do _you_ want, newbie?" Pokey snarled half-heartedly. "Go ahead, tease me! Call me Mr. McFatty_, _or whatever you all call me at school. Haha, let's all make fun of Pokey because he's _so_ fat, and dumb, and stupid-" Pokey abruptly choked, rubbing at his eyes. "Why bother? You're all the same. Next week, I bet you'll be just like _them_."

Ness's features softened, and he lowered his umbrella. "You're...Pokey, aren't you?"

"Go away."

"You shouldn't stand in the rain. It's cold outside."

"Don't mind, don't care."

"...Do you have an umbrella?"

"Who cares?! Why the heck do YOU care if I don't have a DAMN UMBRELLA?" Pokey screamed, slashing a hand into the air. He heard Ness gasp a little at the "bad word" he used, and immediately felt a surge of vicious satisfaction. "I don't want your pity! GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, BRAT!"

There was a lingering pause, followed by a pitter-patter of feet against the puddles.

The boy was gone.

The temporary thrill of victory rushed through Pokey's veins, only to be banished by disappointment. Pokey swallowed back his dismay as the excitement of his rage rapidly fled his bones, and he suddenly shuddered, hugging himself in the shivering cold. But it didn't matter whether or not his clothes were wet and the sky was raining; if Pokey walked to class late, then the school would call his parents. And if his parents ever found out he skipped school, they'd..._they'd_-

Pokey sobbed, clapping his hands against the hot tears seeping out of his eyes. With no one around to watch him, he finally broke down the barriers to his terrified heart.

Pokey cried.

He cried his aching heart out. He cried for his mother to care, he cried for existing, he cried for not being a better son.

Swamped by the waterfall of unwelcome emotions, Pokey couldn't feel; the cold numbed his senses, drowning them in an icy breath. But even as he wept, something still didn't _feel_ right, and soon enough, a slither of realization tickled his raised scalp. No longer could Pokey feel the rain pounding against his skin or seeping its icy waves into his hair. Timidly, the boy opened his eyes.

Blue filled his vision.

Ness stood next to him, awkwardly holding his bright, azure umbrella over their heads. Violet eyes looked unusually solemn as Ness avoided eye contact, pretending not to notice the fat tears rolling down Pokey's cheeks.

Pokey swallowed. "What do you want _now?_"

The smaller boy blinked in confusion. "That's what friends do, in'nit? Walk to school together."

Pokey stared agape, taken aback by his words.

Wow. This kid was actually...

An_ idiot_.

"Stop playing dumb with me." Pokey clenched his teeth, feeling a sudden urge to rip the umbrella out of Ness's hands and snap it in two. Standing to full height, Pokey dangerously loomed over him, brandishing his heavy fists. "You. Pig's Butt, I'm gonna...I'm _gonna_...punch your face in, you hear me? I'm gonna..."

Then Pokey broke out into furious tears, proceeding to bawl his eyes out. Out of the corner of Pokey's eyes, Ness flitted around in a confused panic, frantically trying to calm him down, but Pokey didn't care.

At least somebody else had.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

**3rd Grade**

"What are you doing?"

"Walking the dog!" Ness eagerly paused with a hand dangling in mid-air. A flick of the wrist, then a _whizzzz: _as if like magic, the yo-yo responded to his touch, chasing up its tail of string like a happy rottweiler. Ness lowered his voice into a whisper. "Don't tell anyone, but my dad bought this for me. It's special."

"Really? I saw the same one at the dollar store." Pokey frowned, remembering how his father would always scoff at them every time they passed the toy aisle. "Anyone could buy those things."

But Ness shook his head with wide eyes. "My dad _picked _this one. He says it's lucky."

Pokey studied the cheap, dented plastic red yo-yo. It didn't look very lucky.

But because it was Ness, Pokey supposed he should humor him. "...I guess."

"You wanna try?"

"Huh?"

Ness grinned, shoving the yo-yo into his chubby hands. "Wanna try walking the dog?"

"I'm good."

"Try!"

Pokey stepped back, feebly bringing his arms up in protest. "I don't know how..."

"It's not too hard! Just snap your wrist when the yoyo touches down. Like _this_!" Ness encouraged, giving another flawless demonstration before clapping Pokey on the back. "I bet you can learn it quicker than I did!"

"But what if I can't?"

"Then we have all of recess tomorrow to practice!" Ness said cheerfully. "Practice makes perfect! That's what my dad says."

Overwhelmed by the sudden request, Pokey's eyes widened, and he stepped back with shaky legs. "N-Ness, I c-can't!" he choked. "I'll...I'll break it!"

"You won't break it," Ness said firmly with utter conviction in his words. "It's the lucky yo-yo, remember?"

Something about those words stirred something within him. Very carefully, Pokey curled his fingers inward, clasping the yo-yo in his palm. It was pleasantly cool to the touch. With a concentrated frown, Pokey lowered his hand, ready to snap his wrist up at the last second-

Too late. The yo-yo string sadly pooled around his feet.

But Ness didn't laugh. If possible, Ness's face brightened up even more. "You were sooooo close!" he yelled, pointing at the string. "Like, _this_ close!"

"What? Was I really _t__hat_ close?"

"_THAT_ close!"

_"That _close?"

"YEAH!" Ness yelled, literally jumping in place from his excitement. "Do it again!"

Usually, Pokey hated getting orders. Orders meant, _do this, do that, nevermind stupid, you always do everything wrong don't you pig's butt-_

But with Ness...it didn't feel the same way. Anything Ness said sounded more like a suggestion if anything, and Pokey immediately complied, feeling a surge of warmth blossom in his chest as the yo-yo shakily, but steadily climbed its way up the string. He yelped, almost dropping the wobbly yo-yo in shock.

"I...I did it?" Pokey stammered in disbelief.

Ness whooped loudly. "I told you you could do it!"

"I did it! But..._how_?"

With a wide grin, Ness leaned over with a whisper. "Lucky yo-yo."

Pokey stared at the polished surface. For some reason, he could almost imagine the magic swirling around it, infusing the yo-yo with luckiness. Instantly, Pokey couldn't deny the slight jealousy pricking his veins.

"I wish I had a lucky yo-yo," Pokey muttered, enviously eyeing it in his hands. Reluctantly, he handed it back to its owner, waiting for Ness to pocket it. But Ness made no motion to take it back.

"Keep it."

Pokey doubled over in surprise. He must've been hearing things. "What?!"

"If you keep it, you can walk the dog anytime you want."

"You're letting me _keep_ this?!"

Ness shrugged, pocketing his hands in his ratty-tatty clothes. He flashed Pokey a toothy smile. "My dad always told me that giving things to people always makes them luckier. So if I give my yo-yo to you, you'll have my dad's luck AND my luck, so the yo-yo will be _twice_ as lucky."

Pokey blinked. "Wow..." he whispered, running his fingers over the smooth plastic. "I guess it really is lucky..."

Ness grinned. "Maybe if you ever wanna give it to someone else, then we can start a lucky chain!"

_Are you crazy? I'd never give this away_, Pokey thought, slipping the yo-yo into his oversized jeans. _I'm keeping this. It's my lucky yo-yo now._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

**4th Grade**

With a scowl, Pokey squished his sneakers against the cement. "I can't hang around you anymore."

Ness looked aghast. "Why not?"

_Because my dad doesn't like you,_ Pokey thought, but instead, other nasty words poured out of his lips. "Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I hate you."

At his response, Ness halted and studied him carefully. Despite Ness's naive nature, Pokey hated how those violet eyes seemed to stare right into him. Ness returned to kicking his legs on the swing. "No, you don't."

"How would _you_ know? You don't understand how I feel!" Pokey leaped down from the swing. Large feet punched the sand in a hiss. "It's all your fault! Like, why do you ALWAYS dress like that?" Pokey demanded angrily, pointing at Ness's blue, faded overalls.

Ness blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You always wear blue! Blue this, blue that! Why don't you ever dress in anything else?"

"What's wrong with blue?"

Pokey clutched his head. "Nothing! EVERYTHING! My dad says blue clothes are always the only things on sale. He says that your family's poor!"

Ness shook his head, puzzled. "My family's not poor," he said earnestly. "If we were poor, my dad would've said so."

Pokey narrowed his eyes. "I think your dad's lying to you."

Abruptly stopping the swing with a sudden yank on the iron chain-link, Ness paused. "My dad wouldn't _ever_ lie to me."

"How would _you_ know? My dad lies to me all the time," Pokey sneered, crossing his arms. "What's there to say that YOUR parents don't lie to you too?"

"My parents would never lie to me!" Ness clamored indignantly. A wild look blazed in his violet eyes. "My parents are good people!"

"Lucky you," Pokey muttered under his breath, bitterly kicking away a pebble with his foot.

Ness fell silent. Sitting on the motionless swing, Ness cast his eyes downward, all of the sudden finding his sneakers rather interesting to look at. "...Pokey?"

"Yeah?"

"If...If I was poor...would you hate me?"

Pokey halted. This was it, the moment Pokey had finally been waiting for. _JUST SAY YES!_ the voice in his mind screamed. _TELL NESS THAT YOU HATE HIM, THAT YOU HATE HIS GUTS AND NEVER WANT TO SEE HIM AGAIN! _

Then maybe his father would finally stop beating the crap out of him.

Yeah, right.

"Don't be stupid," Pokey mumbled just as quietly. "I don't hate you. I don't think I ever could."

In response, Ness shifted ever-so-slightly in his seat. For the rest of lunch, they sat in the swings: two boys in the full, but lonely playground.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

**5th Grade**

It all went downhill from there.

They were playing with Legos. Giant, block armies clashed in the ravishing beauty of New Pork City, and Ness pretended to lay siege, commanding his forces to attack, only for Pokey to block with several, plastic soldiers of his own. Pokey was in the upper hand too, and they were about to climax into the grandest of all Boss Battles-

Then all of a sudden, the speaker heads crackled open with loud static.

"Mr. Thomas, can you please send Ness to the Principal's office?"

"OOOOOOOOOOOH," the entire class had burst out in unison, staring at Ness and waggling their eyebrows in the playful manner of teasing expected from fifth graders. Nobody took the announcement seriously anyway; Goodie two-shoes Ness never got into trouble.

Pokey set down his Spider Mech. "What did you do?" he whispered.

Evidently, Ness was just as perplexed. "I dunno." Shrugging off his puzzlement, Ness jumped to his feet, patting the dirt off his pants. "I guess I'll find out. Everything'll probably be okay." He gestured wildly at the Legos with an arm, and flashed Pokey his trademark grin. "By the way, you'd better not finish this Boss Battle without me!"

"I won't," Pokey smirked. "Loser."

Ness made a face, then hurried out the classroom door.

That was the last time anyone saw him in a long while.

Ness never returned to the classroom that day. Nor did he return the next. Nor the next one after that. The absences flooded in, leaving Pokey alone, hurt, and confused. There was always Ninten to talk to, but they'd never gotten along too well, even when Ness introduced them to each other. Still, every now and then, they would sometimes share an uncomfortable glance or two, then stare at the empty seat as if they could teleport Ness there with sheer willpower alone.

By the end of the week, Pokey began to worry.

_Where was Ness? _

_Did he get offended when I called him a loser?_

_Maybe he moved, and forgot to tell me. Or maybe he _did_ tell me, and I forgot!_

"I'm sorry, Pokey," Ninten said yet again when Pokey lumbered over to ask for the bajillionth time. The Podunk boy looked just as worried as he did. "I don't know where Ness is..."

Much to Pokey's relief, the missing boy himself finally returned to school. As soon as those ratty-tatty sneakers had stepped into class Monday morning, Pokey had leaped up so quickly that he had almost upturned the entire table. Heart bursting with joy, Pokey flocked over to his side, ready to berate Ness for leaving him behind without a single notice.

But something was off. Cheerful, optimistic Ness was gone, replaced by angry, sad Ness. The infectious, trademark smile had all but vanished, now reduced to a shadow on his pale lips. His skin looked awfully sunken; the warm rosiness in his cheeks a sickly yellow. Last Week's Ness was ready to do everything; This Week's Ness didn't feel like doing anything.

In fact, when Pokey had approached, Ness had shrunk back with a strangely timid look in his eyes. Pokey could never forget the expression Ness had worn, and it scared him.

Fear. Ness was terrified.

"Ness...?"

The smaller boy didn't raise his head. "Pokey, I...you should...go."

With a gulp, Pokey dropped his hands. "Did your dad..._beat _you?"

Something flashed in Ness's haunted eyes, and it took Pokey a while to recognize it as hurt. "My dad's never coming back," Ness said in a barely-audible whisper.

Instantly, Pokey felt relieved. "That's a good thing, right?"

"No, it's not!" Ness snapped, pushing past him and stomping towards the playground.

As time passed, Ness became more and more withdrawn. He would brood on his own, muttering random phrases that sounded like gibberish under his breath. In fact, it got to such a degree that Mr. Thomas suggested that Ness seek medical attention. By sheer accident, Pokey had blundered into the classroom during the fated parent-teacher conference.

"Ness shows symptoms of depression. I know a good psychiatrist who can prescribe him treatment-"

"Mr. Thomas, my son doesn't need medication. What he needs is time. He was very close to my ex-husband, and the divorce shook him very hard-"

Pokey hastily left before either party noticed him.

Even Ninten noticed how Ness kept to himself and decided to pry, but despite his good intentions, the Podunk boy had caught Ness at a bad time: Poor Ninten ended up twisting his ankle when Ness shoved him off the playground slide. But Pokey knew that Ness didn't mean it; Ninten had always been delicate and brittle-boned, and Ness hadn't known the slide had been right behind them. Nevertheless, Mr. Thomas had called both families in to talk about Ness's unruly behavior.

There were no hard feelings after the incident, but every now and then, Pokey caught the incredibly guilty look on Ness's face every time Ninten limped across the playground.

Finally, one afternoon, Ness stole one last look at Ninten's cast...and snapped. As soon as the bell rang, Ness rushed outside, sprinting across the street, brown satchel bouncing roughly on his back. The gray clouds began to rumble overhead, and hearing a loud clatter, Pokey instinctively trained his eyes on the street.

Blue. Bright Blue.

Ness had dropped his umbrella onto the ground.

Pokey took one step towards it, then hesitated, glancing up at the ominously thundering sky. If he arrived home late, wet and sopping, Pokey knew his mother would scream at him again for getting the carpet wet, and his father would beat him for his insolence.

But as he watched Ness's form retreat farther and farther away, something stirred in his ribcage. Something strange, something new.

For the first time in his life...Pokey decided to act for someone else.

Immediately, he lurched forward, hastily scrambling onto his legs. "Ness, wait!"

A strike of thunder. A growl of wind.

Not seeming to hear him, Ness had ducked into the next street. Pokey followed, squashing down his complaints and ignoring his wheezing muscles. Ness better feel grateful for him...

Splashing through the puddles, Pokey abruptly screeched to a halt. Back turned, Ness was standing in front of an empty, worn down convenience store, squeezing both fists so tightly that Pokey feared his fingers would snap off. Black bangs obscured Ness's face from view, permanently masking them in deep shadow.

Pokey couldn't read his expression.

Tentatively walking forward, the blond swallowed hard. "Ness..."

"Go away, Pokey."

Pokey stepped forward, shakily bringing his arm up. "You left your umbrella."

Ness said nothing. His shoulders shook violently.

Thunder crashed, louder in his ears, and Pokey resisted the urge to flinch. "NESS, YOU PIG'S BUTT! TAKE YOUR FAT UMBRELLA!" Pokey bellowed. "ARE YOU TRYING TO GET SICK IN THE RAIN?!"

"I'll never get sick."

Pokey halted. There was something odd about the way Ness phrased his words. Pokey swallowed down his rising trepidation. "What..What do you mean?"

Ness slowly turned around. Pokey noted how his violet eyes looked cloudy and bloodshot. They seemed to almost glow eerily in the oncoming darkness. "I'll never get sick ever again," Ness said quietly, sounding a thousand years old. "My body will just heal itself. I can touch fire...and it doesn't burn my fingers anymore."

"What are you talking about?!"

"Last week, when dad left...I got really sick. Mom didn't let me go to school because I got really, REALLY sick. And now, I can do all kinds of strange things." Ness let out a choked sob. "I'm scared, Pokey. What's wrong with me? Am I going to die?"

Pokey stood in place, unsure of what to do. He _had_ to get Ness back home before it started to rain, or else they'd both get sick. And maybe...Maybe if Pokey hurried home back in time, his mom wouldn't get mad that he got wet and drenched the carpet, and dad wouldn't bring out the metal-studded belt-

Ness paled, then nodded, wiping his eyes. "Right, I don't want you to get in trouble. Let's go home."

"What do you mean?"

"...Didn't you just say something a second ago?"

First confusion, then cold realization trickled down Pokey's spine. Blanching, Pokey stumbled backwards in icy shock. "O-Oh my god," he managed to stammer out. "You...You can read _minds_...?!"

Ness froze. Watching the horrified expression on Pokey's face, Ness gasped, raising his shaky fingers to his mouth in terror. "I didn't mean to! I swear I didn't mean to!"

"WHAT DID YOU SEE?!" Pokey screamed, dragging roughly Ness by the shirt collar; But even as Ness tried to push him off, Pokey let out a cry of pain - a small current of electricity had passed between Ness's fingers in a tiny burst of static. Pokey climsily tumbled to the ground in a heap.

At once, Ness was on his feet, reaching out to pull him up. "Pokey-"

Pokey instantly swatted his hand away. "Don't touch me, _freak_," Pokey spat, trembling on uneven knees. "You...I _trusted _you...!"

"I didn't know I could read minds!"

"Liar! How many times did you READ MY MIND, huh? I BET YOU ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF IT, DIDN'T YOU?!" Pokey spat savagely, getting immense satisfaction every time Ness flinched. "Laughed your ass off every time my dad beat me, I bet!"

"I never read your mind b-before," Ness stammered, reaching out to him. "Pokey, I swear I didn't!"

Ignoring him, Pokey dug into his pocket and fished out the cheap, plastic yo-yo. He noticed how Ness's eyes widened in realization, then dangled the red yo-yo in front of his face.

"You want this back, don't you?"

"No-!"

"THEN TAKE IT BACK!" Pokey screamed, yanking the yo-yo violently by the string. "TAKE BACK YOUR STUPID LUCK AND YOUR STUPID UMBRELLA TOO, _FREAK_!"

In a fluid motion, Pokey slammed the yo-yo down. For a bright second, time stopped, and the yo-yo slowly sank through the air as if suspended...

Then came the ear-wrenching crash.

In a fluid motion, the yo-yo smashed against the cement in a disgusting mess of springs and ripped plastic. Sharp shards scattered across the pavement, skittering forward feebly in protest.

Angrily tossing the blue umbrella aside, Pokey marched away without a single word, sweeping his hands across his stinging eyes. Had he turned around, Pokey might've noticed Ness's tortured expression, might've seen The Boy So Strong finally dissolve into tears-

But Pokey never turned back. Not even once.

Pokey didn't want to care about anyone else anymore.

And that was the way things ought to have been from the very start.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Heya guys, I'm back. First update of 2016. :) Thanks for exam well-wishes.**

**I'm moving my author's notes to the bottom of the chapter so it doesn't impede people who don't like to read A/Ns (I don't blame you haha).**

**I posted the first half of the chapter up today - still working on the rest of the dialogue. Sorry for the short chapter. :/ I know I've already pulled the "Whoops, chapter is longer than I expected" card too many times to count, but chapter 26 will be FO SHO the last chapter of the arc. Besides, I already have some fun things planned for Arc IV, and trust me: I can't wait to get _that_ posted. *Nwehehehe* **

**I'm sorry if I've taken a slight break from Fanfiction; I'm taking the MCAT in mid-August (A 7-hour standardized test for med school), and am spending time now to study. It sounds stupid to study for a standardized test 8 months in advance, but this test is _literally_ my future. I can't afford the money to take a gap year just because I screwed up, and I hope all of you can understand. :)**

**But yeah, I'll finish up Chapter 26 soon...whenever time permits. Expect to see more Pokey and more Hurt/Comfort hooray**

**Onward to Reviews!**

**ConnorTheSpellingPro: **Yeah lol, I had so much to write in the past two chapters, but plotwise, not much really happened. XD It was a nice break to round out characters. And yeah, it sounds silly to leave the crown prince unguarded in real life, but I believe Kim Jong Un studied in Switzerland posing as the son of a driver, and nobody noticed until years later. ._. That's a weird food for thought haha.

Yeah, Paula and Claus are very similar in terms of personality, but I think Claus is still more emotionally extreme. He doesn't really have a middle ground (e.g. threatening Ness all because he befriended Lucas), and this makes him less approachable. I think it's also because Paula _**is** _a girl; psychologically-speaking, girls have a better tendency to socialize (before anyone bashes me on this, I'm not saying that girls are superior to boys - lol my social skills are **_TERRIBLE_**). And ahhh, kind of; at first I really missed goofing off with my brother when I went to college, so I suppose I did feel a bit like Tracy in Chapter 24.

For some reason, the ideas flow _much_ better on the Doc Manager than on Word. It's incredibly weird. Whelp, I'm weird. And lol no, I didn't expect the fic to go down the whole "WORLD IS ENDING" when I began. XD It wasn't until Chapter 3 I was like "Fudge it" and completely switched plots. It was a risky move...but it paid off. I like this plot WAY better. :)

**C.S. Alvarez: **Oh geez, I forgot about the whole "Claus is Sexy" phrase. XD lmao. Why am I even writing on this website. Sorry about the late update by the way. ^^

**Plushiepaw: **Oh no, not you too. DX Great, now everyone's pointing out the "Claus is Sexy" phrase. jk jk, I kid. ;)

Ahh fudge, I know how you like reading long chapters. DX This chapter must've been disappointing lol. I'll try to post the rest of the chapter once it's done; Chapter 25 is kinda disjointed without it. And yes; first everyone goes to school, and now the world is dying. You know, the _usual_ highschool life. ;)

Nope, no angsty visions this time. Just painful memories...and Tony being overly cool next chapter. B) Haha having never felt unrequited love, I think I rushed Poo's feelings a little. XD And yeah...Wess being a tiger dad. :x As for if Flint will find out where his sons are...I'll leave that up to you. ;)

Yeah, there isn't much to say in this chapter either. XD I think a lot of my "plot-stall" chapters are written to expand on character...and write feels. Lots and lots of feels.

S̶o̶r̶r̶y̶ ̶I̶'̶m̶ ̶a̶ ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶

**PSIBoy: **Heya PSIBoy! Oh wow, I didn't know you've been reading this story since day one it was posted lol. Oh geez, my writing was so awful back then haha. XD Just thinking about it makes me cringe. But yep, world is crumbling to pieces woooo here comes the angst train

And HOLY SHITE it has been over a year since I posted this! Wow...I wasted 365 days of my time on writing fictional characters hahahaha

Yep, that's the same MechaLion that attacked the boys. :) Agreed; life is full of tough choices. I was debating whether or not to let the lion live, but then I killed it because I thought it'd serve a more meaningful lesson. D: S̶o̶r̶r̶y̶x2000 ̶I̶'̶m̶ ̶a̶ ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶i̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶s̶o̶n̶ I'm glad that you liked Teddy's introduction though. :) I struggle through actions scenes and humor, so it's nice to know that one person found _something _funny ahahaha

Yeah, moms know everything. O_O It scares me sometimes how much my mom can know how I feel without me telling her. Then again, she's known me for pretty much my entire life, so yeah...it'd be strange if she didn't.

BuzzBuzz is an AU Ninten? Interesting food for thought. ;) We'll see, my friend. We'll see. And lol, I'm glad I didn't say that to your Ganon comment. You TOTALLY would have called me out on it XD And as for the nightmare with Ness drowning...who knows what'll happen? ;D

**Guest: ***Reads review: "If Ness actually drowns, I'm going to scream"*

Whelp, it looks like you'll have to scream, then.

...

...

Just kidding.

...Or am I? :O

**A Fan:** **Your responses are so long so I'll separate them by chapter. Not that I hate long responses; I love them! :) Thanks for spending your time reviewing my fic. I really appreciate it.**

**-Chapter 24**

lmao 7-year-old Poo shouting in a tiny 7-year-old voice. XD That image is forever stuck in my head. And YES, I do read the "Chosen Four" comics by Darrow; they were the first resource I used to get familiar with the plot of Earthbound (because I never played it haha). And yeah, there was a setting box. :) I think it was hidden by the Author's Note - I will move all A/Ns to the bottom of the chapter to avoid future confusion.

Yeah, you're right. The "ginger-head" refers to Claus. And oh dear, it must be hard to keep track of three fics at once. D:

And haha oh geez, I didn't think of it that way. XD I will see what I can do to change the dialogue if it's confusing ("I'm your FUUUU-rend" lolz, did not see that one coming and am incredibly disappointed in myself). *Face-mountain* But if you're fine with me keeping it the way it is just for comic relief, then I'll probably not change it haha. ...Watch somebody else comment on the same thing years later haha

Oh, come off it, A Fan. Kumatora loves to say PUNCH-lines. ;D

Has Giygas really gotten a hold of Lucas/Claus already? ;) We'll find out soon. Nwehehehe.

** -Chapter 25 **

Ah, I see. I'll change up the Italics. None of my chapters have been corrected yet, but I'll work on correcting all of the dialogue in previous chapters and clear up the confusion.

**Past conversations/Telepathy:** _"I am awesome."_

**Thoughts:** _I am awesome._

Kumatora hasn't met Wess officially until Chapter 24, but she knows Duster very well. I imagine that one day, it just kind of slipped, and Duster told her about the origin of his limp. :) And thanks. :) Wess took me some time to write though, and I find extreme irony that he is a police officer in this fic. Maybe it's because he's a thief in Mother 3. ^^;

We'll see more of Picky next chapter. :) Yeah, lol, Picky doesn't know PSI, and he's relatively younger than the protags, so it's hard to fit him into an active role. I can imagine that everyone would become really worried about him.

And ugh for Onion-eye syndrome. Damn onions, always striking at the wrong times. Well, rest be assured that Onion-eye syndrome will get worse as we progress.

Take care!


	26. Pulling of the Needles

**Setting: Past**

Ancient History was the bane of sixth grade.

Mr. Leder, while highly generous to a fault, sported a _massive _workload that forced even the toughest student to cry for mercy. As misery often bred company, everyone begged to work in pairs, intuitively translating the daily "do your brainless busy-work" to "heck, if I'm suffering, then I'm not suffering alone." It was for this reason most of the students worked with a partner; no one was ever found alone if they could help it, and nobody wanted to be that lonely loner except for the stray oddball or two.

For obvious reasons, Pokey had been stuck alone, easily cast aside as one of the said "oddballs."

But he didn't care, because Ness had been too. For whatever reason, Ness was always alone, even going as far to politely refuse offers from other friends. It was a strange, yet satisfying feeling; every time Pokey would look up from his desk, Ness was there, violet eyes furrowed in deep concentration. And as terrible as it felt, every time he spotted Ness working alone, Pokey drew an immense feeling of comfort in his heart.

...Until today.

Under hushed whispers, Ness pointed down at the map of Mesopotamia, obvious excitement dancing in his violet eyes. He shot out a string of words from his lips, rapidly muttering something to the person beside him, and in turn, Lucas's voice curiously rose and fell in the incantation of a question.

"What? You _didn't!_"

"Yeah, I did," Ness said proudly. "Heh. You wouldn't believe how loud Tracy screamed!"

"Bet she wasn't too happy with you after that."

"Hey, all I did was hide under the stairs and do THIS._"_ Cross-eyed, Ness wiggled his eyebrows, goofily lolling out his tongue in a silly expression. "BLEEEEEH."

"Ew, gross!" Laughing, Lucas shoved him in the shoulder. "That's disgusting!"

"What? _This?"_

"NESS!"

The fat smile on Ness's face was hard to miss, teetering on his lips and threatening to spill into happy laughter. And to Pokey's sheer astonishment, it wasn't a forced "_I'm okay, but I'm really not_" smile, but a warm "_I'm happy that you're happy_" smile that he had once been directed towards his former neighbor.

The drastic change was hard to miss: the serious boy's features, once hardened by dull darkness, had uplifted in bright hope. Rich violet eyes roiled in dazzling shades of ecstasy, and a healthy hue had returned to his cheeks, infusing it in a warm, fiery glow. Ever since Pokey had left him, Ness had drawn a bitter barrier around himself, shielding himself from the world, but somehow, Lucas had done the unimaginable and cracked it right open.

An extremely sour taste seeped into Pokey's tongue. Catching himself staring at the duo for far too long, Pokey scowled, then forced his eyes onto his own textbook.

**_The Ancient Egyptians used characters called hieroglyphics to convey their thoughts..._**

Ness could read thoughts. Ness was a filthy mind-reader, a freak of nature who didn't deserve Pokey's friendship.

**_They oversaw the construction of many famous monuments despite the hot, overwhelming climate..._**

Then why did he feel all hot and bothered inside? Like he was-

Hah! Impossible. There was no way Pokey could be _jealous._

So what if Ness had a new friend? Pokey was still cooler than him.

Way cooler.

A flicker of motion caught his vision, and Pokey narrowed his eyes. The pair must have finished their homework, because Lucas was reading ahead like always, drinking in the textbook like it were some rare Elixir of Life. Beside him, caught in a rather playful mood, Ness peered over his friend's shoulder to read whatever passage his friend was on.

"Euphrates. Haha, that sounds like a disease."

"Mmhmm."

A poke. "Lucas, I'm _boooored_."

"Mmhmm."

Another poke. "Hey. Hey, Lucas."

"Mm?"

Ness lazily skimmed over their completed homework. "You spelled _Tigris _wrong."

Lucas blinked, turning his head. "...I did?"

"Question 10. You wrote _Tigress_ River." Ness lightly prodded the paper.

As if on cue, Lucas stammered, flustering in a tasteful shade of bright red. Caught by a series of mad giggles, Ness clapped his hands to his mouth, then playfully jostled Lucas by the elbow. Bashful at his own mistake, Lucas returned the teasing look with a sheepish smile.

Pokey clenched his fists so tightly that his pencil snapped into two. Pokey hated him so much: Stupid Lucas with his stupid, blond hair and the stupid, quiet way he talked. Pokey hated it, absolutely hated _all_ of it. Furiously flicking away the sharp wooden splinters digging into his fingers, Pokey shoved his desk away, feeling an indescribable urge to punch something HARD. Or preferably, _someone._

But Pokey wasn't stupid. A rough bruising every now and then was easily concealable, but beating Lucas up black and blue would cost him a lifetime of Hell in the hands of an enraged older twin brother. And as much as he hated to admit it, Claus was _definitely_ not someone Pokey wanted to mess with.

Violently tearing at hair, Pokey almost screamed in frustration.

It wasn't fair! Out of all people, why did _Lucas_ have to be one with such an overprotective twin?! Pokey was beaten up every day, but _he_ didn't have someone to protect _him_! It wasn't fair; it just wasn't fair at ALL!

**SLAM!**

The shocking sound deafened their ears.

"Sorry," Claus said, even though he didn't sound very sorry at all. As he picked up his fallen textbook, everyone else heed him no attention, returning to finish their own worksheets.

Out of curiosity, Pokey eyed the less-than-happy expression on Claus's face. For starters, Ninten must've been sick again, because the lonely twin was sitting by himself in the corner of the classroom.

For whatever reason, Claus looked unusually tense, frosty blue eyes glowering in obvious discomfort, and Pokey followed his pointed glare to the center of the room. As Lucas let out a soft laugh, Pokey caught the increasingly dirty looks Claus shot at the back of a familiar, black-haired someone. Claus's spindly fingers tightened on the History book he had "accidentally" dropped, whitening at the fingertips as though itching to strangle a certain baseball captain.

Then in a bout of nervousness, Lucas involuntarily tugged at his shirt sleeve, and as a thick bruise peeked out from beneath its hem (courtesy of Yours Truly), Claus's expression deepened into a dark frown.

"Oho. Wouldn't _you_ like to know who bruised him up?" Pokey spoke, eyeing Claus's dark furrow in barely-restrained glee. "Too bad you don't. I mean, I bet you'd do anything to return the favor if you _did-"_

Pokey froze.

An idea popped into his head, a poisonous plot so dastardly clever and devious that no one would've even _dared_ to conceive even the merest _thought_ of it-

With a surreptitious slip of a finger, the Pokey beckoned Orange Kid over. The latter looked disgruntled for being disturbed in whatever lunch money scheme he had been plotting, but instantly, his annoyance evaporated into a look of polite interest when Pokey smoothly slipped a few dollar bills into the back of his pocket. His lackey satisfied, Pokey leaned forward and whispered something into his ear.

As Orange Kid listened, an almost identical sneer slowly crawled across his face. His black, beady eyes flitted unpleasantly, first from Claus, then to Ness. Wiping his face blank like a clean slate, he adopted a painfully contrite expression, and without further hesitation, sidled to the back of the classroom to deliver his "news."

Pokey couldn't hear anything from this distance, but whatever Orange Kid said had done the trick. A myriad of emotions rapidly flashed through Claus's icy eyes: lingering suspicion shifted into uncertainty, which quickly dissolved into horrified shock that, by the passing second, began to dawn into fury of the _most terrible_ _proportions-_

The bell rang.

As if on cue, Claus abruptly stormed past Orange Kid, seizing a surprised Lucas by the arm and dragging him out of the classroom. When Ness tried to follow, Claus shot him an expression so murderous that he froze right in his tracks. Obviously confused by the turn of events, Ness blinked once, then shrugged, hitching his bag up and strolling off to class.

Orange Kid's smirk never left his face. Pokey met his eyes, and Orange Kid nodded, throwing him two thumbs up.

"Nailed it," he mouthed, and in return, Pokey's own lips twisted into an ugly smirk. Now all that was left was to ensure that a certain blond understood his point _VERY _clearly. If not a few bruises, then a broken arm should do the trick.

Because if Pokey couldn't be Ness's best friend...

Then no one else could.

* * *

**Setting: Present**

"...Ugh...where's the damn aspirin...?"

The fresh welts on his back throbbed like crazy, and as Pokey struggled to his feet, he hissed in pain, feeling one of the open cuts ooze open. Each sore welt stabbed into his skin like hot knives, a kind memento of his drunk father's belt.

_At least it's over,_ Pokey thought bitterly, hobbling over to the kitchen. Tightly gripping the marble counter, he collapsed into a chair, hissing as the impact flared up a sore cut. Lounging in his seat, Pokey sulked, nursing his aching pride, and scrunched his eyes against the unpleasant flashback.

_"What the Hell did I teach you?!" Aloysius bellowed amidst his wife's shrill screeching. The unpleasant smack of flesh on flesh echoed uncomfortably throughout the room. "How many times did I tell you to keep your brother in check?! He might've blabbed everything to the police!"_

_"Look at what you've done! You've just exposed our family!" his mother shrieked. Aloysius kicked him in the side. Pokey howled in pain before curling up, dry-heaving into a sob. In his winded state, he barely heard snatches of a frantic conversation._

_ "Aloysius, what do we do now?" His mother glanced at his father in terror. She waved her arms in distress. "We're done for! When the authorities come, we'll go to jail!"_

_His father massaged his own temples in frustration. "Damn Chief Strong. I had so much dirt on him before he resigned. To think that he's been reduced a mere phys ed teacher...Bah, makes my blood BOIL! But we have hope...I do know a few strings I can still pull," he grunted, stroking his mustache. "To avoid suspicion, we'll report Picky missing. If the police decide to interrogate us anyway, we act completely normal. And - WILL YOU STOP BAWLING FOR ONCE?!" Double-chin jiggling, his father glared down at his son's still-sobbing form with a look of utter disgust. "Listen, BOY, if anyone asks around with questions, you shut up and tell them NOTHING. Got that?_

Pokey shivered.

It was all Picky's fault. Stupid Picky, who never stood up for him when his parents got abusive. Stupid Picky, who would only stop by his room at the dead of night to whisper his _are you okay'_s and _I'm sorry'_s. Stupid Picky, who had nosed around in something that wasn't even his own business, only to be stolen away by the likes of Giygas. Picky was the one who went missing, but _Pokey_ had to pay the price for his disappearance.

_I __hate him. I hate him so much._

Pokey clenched his head with ragged fingers. But Picky had gone missing...because of _him._ Pokey failed to deliver what Giygas had wanted, had failed to realize that he had been _manipulated._ So really, the one at fault was-

_Shut up._

A sharp knock interrupted his thoughts.

Pokey stayed put, screwing his eyes shut. It was probably one of his father's drunk poker buddies asking if his parents were home. They came in at odd times, swaggering in and out whenever they pleased. Perhaps they did serve as a nice distraction, but Pokey had no desire to let them in. They were loud, raucous, and disgustingly smelly.

But if he didn't, his parents would find out, and the truth would bite him back _hard_ in the ass.

Reluctantly, Pokey waddled over, wrenching the door open with a vicious yank. "My dad's not here! Go screw around with someone else-"

Soft hands wrapped around his waist. "Pokey!"

He blindly lurched back, terrified at the sudden assault. Instantly, his side flared up in protest, and Pokey hissed, recoiling in pain. "What the-?" His shock quickly dissolved into disgust. "Blech!" Pokey yelled, swatting his brother off. "What are you _doing?!"_

"Hugging you."

Pokey's eyes widened in realization. "You are sooo _busted_," he hissed, nabbing a yelping Picky by the ear and proceeding to drag his now-squirming younger brother into the house. "Wait 'til mom and dad hear about this! How did you find your way home?! HUH?! I bet you broke some rules-"

"Mister Duster drove me here!"

"Mister...who?!" Pokey scoffed, clearly disbelieving. "Who even names their kid _DUSTER_?! Some cleaning company?"

"I-I don't know!" Picky pointed outside. "But I'm not bluffing; he's right there!"

Pokey swiveled around. There was no one in sight.

Embarrassed that he had been duped so easily, Pokey whipped around in utter fury. "STUFF IT, YOU-"

There was a polite cough next to him, and Pokey instantly whirled around to face a rather tall, thin, scraggly man leaning against the brick wall. "Pleased to meet you," said he. "My name is Duster."

Pokey dumbly froze, his jaw agape.

"By the way, that was a great comeback about my name," Duster said pleasantly. His voice was devoid of any rebuke; in fact, if the brothers weren't mistaken, the man's brown eyes twinkled with amusement. "Probably the most creative one I've heard by far."

Pokey still stood slack-jawed.

Duster cleared his throat. "My father is Chief Wess."

That seemed to knock Pokey out of his stupor. All the color drained out of his features.

"YOU TOLD THE POLICE?! What did you do THAT for?!" Pokey shouted in horror, yanking his brother up by the collar.

Picky pulled at his arm. "Pokey, it's okay!" he said earnestly. "He's helping us find Ness-"

There was a thump as Pokey dropped him onto the ground. "What?" Pokey whispered, eyes darting back over to Duster. In the blink of an eye, Pokey had shoved himself into Duster's face. "DID YOU FIND HIM?!"

"No, and we think that Giygas is involved." Duster steadily met the teen's panicked gaze. "We wanted to ask you a few questions."

Like the flip of the switch, Pokey's face fell. His blue eyes hardened into ice. "Get out."

"We'd appreciate your help, Pokey," Duster continued calmly, preventing him from shutting the door. "If you can provide any information about Giygas, it might help us bring him down-"

Pokey threw back his head and laughed. Extreme bitterness seeped into his voice. "Bring him down? With what? You can't bring him down. I thought he was just a _really_ bad math teacher, but he's much more than that._"_

"What do you mean?"

"Like I'd tell _you,"_ Pokey sneered. "Forget about it. You're no match against him; I've seen the things he can do. He can mess with your mind. He knows your deepest fears, your deepest desires, _everything."_ A pause. "He makes you feel things you've never even realized..."

Unfathomable blue eyes briefly flickered over to his younger brother.

Pokey's gaze hardened. "Look, _Duster, _I'll only say this just because you brought Picky back: STAY OUT OF GIYGAS'S BUSINESS. You can't defeat him. No one can." Pokey eyed Duster's worn out clothes in disgust. "He won't give up. If you haven't noticed, he's a man with a _purpose,_ something a _hobo_ like you wouldn't understand."

"A purpose?"

"Yeah, a sick one too. I know a nasty plot when I see one, and I'm not having any part in it," Pokey sneered, his lips twisting into an unpleasant grimace. "For all I care, Giygas can go on and raise the dead with his _hocus pocus_-"

Immediately, Pokey paled, clamping his mouth shut.

The damage had been done. All the color drained from Duster's face. "Giygas wants to _raise the dead?_"

"I-I don't know!" Pokey stammered, struggling to wrench his wrist away. "I overheard him talking about it with somebody, okay?"

"Who was he talking to?"

Pokey shook his head.

Duster grasped his shoulders. "Pokey, this is important," he said in an unusually sharp voice. "Who was Giygas talking to?"

"I don't know!"

"You must've seen his face."

"Don't touch me!" Pokey snapped, twisting his arm out of Duster's grip. The bigger boy quivered from fear, but he looked up with bared teeth. "Like I said, I DON'T know and I DON'T care! Leave me out of all this...this _freakishness!_ Eavesdropping got me into all this mess, and you're not dragging me into one again! I don't care that you need help, and I don't care that you need information, SO DO ME A FAVOR AND _FUCK_ _OFF_!"

Duster fell silent, releasing his wrist. For a moment, Pokey stood petrified, wondering what the older man was up to, and flinched when Duster leaned in with amazing speed-

"...How can you be so selfish?"

_"SELFISH?! Me?"_ Pokey laughed, a bitter sound that rang in their ears. "Hah! Speak for yourself, _OLD MAN._ I've never gotten anything I've wanted in my life. Nothing good ever comes my way, and the world obviously hates me, so why do I have to step in to save it?"

"You are blinded by your very own jealousy." Pokey flinched again as hot anger shook Duster's words. Brown eyes seared with blazing fire. "Listen to your conscience. Open your eyes, open your ears. Think about the pain _you've_ inflicted on _others_. To your own brother. To _Lucas._ Ask yourself, _Has bullying others done you any good?_"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Pokey clamped his hands over his ears. "Don't talk like you know any better, because _you_ don't know _anything_ about _me!"_

"You're right. I don't know anything about you. I don't know what you have to go through each day." Duster lowered his voice. "But if there's one thing I've learned, self-pity won't take you very far. Pokey, you're still young enough to change. Please, don't do this to yourself-"

"Why are you trying to make me feel remorse? No one's ever shown _me_ an ounce of _remorse _in my entire life!" Pokey fired up, balling up his fists. He narrowed his eyes to dangerous slits. "...I get it. You're trying to paint me as the bad guy, aren't you? Pokey is a big fat jerk. Pokey is a mean dumbass. It's always Pokey this, Pokey that, and I'm sick and tired of always being the villain! Well, this time, I'm not taking this shit anymore. You want to hear the truth?! I don't regret anything I've done. I DON'T REGRET ANYTHING I'VE DONE, AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME FEEL REMORSE! And if _you_ think my life's been easy, why don't _you_ try living with parents like mine for a change-"

"You have no empathy." Duster stepped forward. His brown eyes reflected an immense disappointment that burned worse than the scars on Pokey's back. "You didn't mean to work for Giygas, but the truth stands: you were involved. And because of you, many innocent people might be gravely injured. Are you willing to put the lives of your friends at stake for the sake of a petty grudge?"

"Don't threaten me. I owe _nothing_ to _no one._ Especially not to those twins." Pokey bristled. "They're not my friends. They only saved my brother from the facility because they _liked_ him. If I was in trouble, nobody would've given a rat's fart about saving _my_ ass-"

"Paula said otherwise."

"Really?" Pokey shot him an ugly sneer. "Well, I'm flattered. _What_ did she say?"

"That Ness would've done the same for you."

Pokey fell silent.

Realizing that the teen couldn't be persuaded, Duster shook his head and stepped onto the pavement. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Pokey. I wish you and your brother the best of luck."

The weary musician sauntered down the street. Darkness swallowed up any trace of his existence.

Frozen by the doorway, Pokey stared at the retreating figure long after the mysterious man had gone.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It was a universally-accepted fact that all best friends are a rather odd-behaving species by nature.

To this, Tony was no exception.

Too many times, Jeff Andonuts had wondered what exactly made his friend's mind tick. And too many times, he ended up astoundingly empty-handed. Tony's quirky behavior somehow defied the very laws of physics from the tip of his pointy, brown shoes to the very top of his emerald bowler hat.

The engine sputtered, and with a sigh, Jeff unscrewed the hood of the solar car. Lifting the delicate metal like it was glass about to shatter at his touch, Jeff set it onto the floor with remarkable gentleness. He peered into the complicated collection of nuts and bolts.

Come to think of it, even after witnessing Ninten's dramatic flairs, Jeff was quite sure Tony would outstrip him in the title of "Drama Queen."

Take, for instance, sixth grade when Tony had wailed like a dying cow after Ness insulted Valentine's Day. Or in eighth grade, when Tony had collapsed to his knees in dramatic sobbing fit, all because he had forgotten his pencil to class. In the middle of _Physics _too, no less. Jeff's ears burned, remembering the uncertain look his father had shot him, as if asking, _Is he really your best friend?_

_He's not my best friend! _Jeff had snapped, because one, Tony was just a classmate; two, Tony was a weirdo whose hair defied all laws of physics; and three, _what the flipping heck__-!_

Most fortunately, his father had been wise enough to drop the topic. So for the longest time, Tony was just that one weird, yet popular friend everyone liked in middle school. Twice a week, Jeff tutored him in physics, and they exchanged phone numbers to set up regular study sessions.

Not six months ago, everything changed.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It had been a lazy summer night in August when Jeff Andonuts got an important phone call.

Stripping off his Latex gloves onto the lab bench, Jeff grimaced, fumbling for the source of the unwelcome interruption. Already disgruntled, he was sorely tempted to dump the phone into his vat of hydrochloric acid, but upon catching sight of the caller ID, he frowned.

So like any reasonable person would do in such a circumstance, Jeff had snatched up the phone, pressed the _Call _button, then inquired, "...Hello?"

What he had _not_ expected was the ear-splitting scream that killed his ears.

"ANDONUTS, ANSWER THE PHONE!"

"OW!" Panicking, Jeff fumbled with his phone. "_Tony?_ Is that you?"

Awkward silence.

"Uhh, nope...?! Haha. Ha. Wrong number!"

Maybe his ears were still ringing from the rude wake-up call, but Jeff frowned, noting an unusual quaver in his friend's voice. "Is everything all right?"

"No. I mean, yeah! Everything's fine! Wait, no! Yes, I'm okay!" A pause, then a shaky breath. "Sorry, it's just...I wanted...I mean, I needed to talk...to you."

"...About physics?"

"No. About...something else."

Jeff was not easily frightened, but Tony's subdued tone was alarming to say the least. "...Yeah?" Jeff asked quietly, adjusting his glasses. "What's up?"

"Well...I have this problem..."

"..."

"..."

"Um, so..." Jeff cleared his throat awkwardly. "What's the problem?"

"Huh? Oh. It's, uh-" Tony began to ramble so quickly that Jeff had a problem keeping up. "I LIKE BAKING, which is weird, because I hate cooking, andIwaskindawonderingifyouwereallergictochocolate."

Jeff blinked. "I'm not allergic to anything," he said patiently. "But that's not the real reason you called, is it?"

Another uncomfortable pause. The silence stretched for so long that Jeff thought that the line was dead. Then the phone burst alive, crackling with the sound of a strangled sob. "Jeff..."

"Hm?"

"I-I'm..."

"Yeah...?

"...I'm gay."

Jeff dumped the phone in hydrochloric acid.

It was on accident though, and once he managed to fumble for his house phone, Jeff had called him back. Somehow against all the odds, the two had managed to regain some semblance of sane conversation - or at least, as sane as a conversation _could_ get at two in the morning.

It was an understatement that Jeff felt apprehensive; the blond genius was simply awful at providing emotional support, but Tony sounded so distressed that Jeff did his best, trying to listen to a fully freaked-out brunette ramble incoherently over the phone. They were quite insignificant worries too, like _Oh gods, what if people think I'm disgusting_ and _What would my mom think _and _Do you think I'm disgusting too_-

And Jeff had patiently replied, rolling his eyes at his silly questions. _No, Tony, people won't think you're disgusting just because you're gay, your mom's a conservative bitch _(okay, he didn't say that out loud, but she was)_, and I couldn't care less if you were biologically attracted to a hippo._

To his immense surprise, the cheery brunette chatterbox had fallen silent.

Finally, Tony spoke up. And Jeff could never forget his friend's hoarse reply.

"Thanks, Jeff. I knew I could always count on you."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Eventually, Tony's mom ended up finding out about her son's sexual orientation.

Needless to say, she didn't take the news too well.

So in mid-September, when the disowned brunette had showed up at Jeff's doorstep a crying mess, Jeff had merely straightened his back, adjusted his glasses, and asked, "Do you prefer the top bunk, or the bottom?"

Jeff never regretted his decision. Incredibly, in the last two months they had roomed together, both boys had immediately _clicked_: Whenever Jeff had time, he would sometimes aid a hand in baking ("It's not BAKING, it's CHEMISTRY. Allow me to explain; extreme heat denatures the casein in eggs and blah blah blah..."), and every time Jeff worked on the Solar Car, Tony would bombard him with all sorts of curious questions ("OOH! What does THAT thingamajig do? Wait, no, how about THAT one?! Hey, I wonder what happens if I twist this red lever down-" "OH GOD, TONY, NO!"). Even while living with his cousin Lloyd, being the only child of a busy father was rather lonely, and Jeff was glad for the welcome change.

And a highly welcome change it was too. Especially now, since the school had been burnt down by some crazy, unknown arsonist, Jeff was sorely grateful Tony was here. It had already been bad enough that Ness, Poo, and Paula had all gone missing, but if Tony had disappeared too...

Jeff involuntarily shivered.

Something was up. Something big, and Jeff was _sure_ of it, but with Claus's mysterious absence as well, he and his cousin, Lloyd, had been regretfully over-working themselves to meet the Solar Car deadlines.

Today just happened to be one of those days. In the dim light of the pristine garage, he could spot Lloyd's albino locks floating up and down in agitation.

"Have you found it yet?"

"No! I STILL haven't found the sensor!" The albino teen looked devastated. "I can't believe someone _stole_ it...I really miss my mini tool-kit..."

"Mini tool-kit?" Tony inquired, sauntering in. "Is this some innuendo I don't understand?"

"No _innuendo _at all, my friend," Jeff answered, bluntly quoting the word with his fingers. He frowned, fiddling with the frame of the Solar Car. "Lloyd lost his tool kit around a week ago. We last tracked it down to the base of Holy Loly Mountain."

Bewildered, Tony blinked. "Why would it be _there_?"

"We don't know."

"...It was a gift from my mom too," Lloyd said quietly. "Or at least, it's the last thing I have left of her."

"Bummer." Tony shook his head sympathetically. "Don't worry, Lloyd. I bet it'll show up soon."

"I hope so."

Jeff's forehead creased in a frown. "I don't understand, Lloyd. Why did we get a signal from _Holy Loly Mountain?_ Maybe your sensor's a dud-"

"It's not a dud!"

"Are you sure that the thief didn't steal the tool-kit _and_ the sensor?"

"No, he couldn't have stolen both at the same time. The tool kit's been missing for a while. The sensor was stolen _yesterday_." Lloyd shifted, rolling one of the tires under his fingers. It wobbled, creaking under his ministrations. "Call me strange, but I have a feeling that the tool kit's in good hands..."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "You have a _feeling?"_

Lloyd flushed. "Call it otherwise," he defended. "But I can't explain it. I think someone might've borrowed it for the time being, but I just can't remember _whom_ I might've given it to..."

"You have...a feeling."

"Shut up, Jeff," Tony said.

Jeff huffed, glaring at him through tinted glasses. "Don't you see how _unscientific_ that sounds? You can't just pinpoint something on a feeling! That's like trying to live life based on intangibles! Think about it; have you heard of any scientist who based their findings on a feeling? An _intuition,_ possibly, but mere sentiment...!"

"Sometimes, life isn't always about the facts," Lloyd said wisely.

"Heck yeah, Lloyd! You tell him!" Tony crowed, ruffling Lloyd's hair and knocking his glasses askew. He directed Jeff a pointed glare. "You, sir, are a disgrace. Just because _you_ have the emotional range of a toothpick doesn't mean you have to pick on your absolutely _amazing_ cousin. Gosh, what a bully!"

"Tony?" Lloyd awkwardly groped the floor. "I think you knocked my glasses off."

"I did? My bad. Should I...?"

"Haha, no, I've got it."

As Lloyd made a mad scramble for his glasses, Jeff shook his head in disapproval. "Tony, you're pampering him. In the scientific world, you need to learn how to stand up for yourself, or else, no one's gonna believe you."

Tony sighed in mock-disappointment. "Oh, Jeff. Jeff, Jeff, Jeff._" _Tony crossed his arms and shook his head. _"Jeff-"_

"WHAT?!" Jeff blurted out, fixing him with an exasperated glare. "My hearing is perfectly _functional,_ thank you very much!"

Tony chortled, setting his hands on his hips. "Aren't you a bundle of sunshine?"

"Looks like someone's feeling gay."

"Why, yes, thank you. I am."

Jeff opened to retort, but finding no suitable response, closed his mouth. He averted his eyes with burning cheeks, mumbling something under his breath.

"That's right." Tony's grin widened in victory. He pompously made shooing gestures in his direction. "Mumble away, you nerd-"

"Shut up, Tony."

Finally popping up from the floor, Lloyd couldn't keep a grin from sliding onto his face. "This feels familiar."

Puzzled, Jeff tilted his head. "In what sense?"

Lloyd laughed. "Well, for starters, you start grilling me with demoralizing speech..."

A smile twitched from the corner of Jeff's mouth. "Right, then Claus would get all fired-up because we were getting all distracted-"

"-and _then_ he'd fire some winning one-liner to pop Jeff's big-headed ego," Tony chimed, waving a spoon into the air.

Lloyd burst into a choke of laughter, and Jeff flushed a bright crimson.

"IT'S CALLED SELF-CONFIDENCE, NOT BIG-HEADED EGO. And give me that!" Jeff added, swiping the spoon out of Tony's grip. Visibly sulking, the blond genius turned away, grumbling phrases like _Big ego, my ass _and _I'm not big-headed_.

"I guess once a big brother, always a big brother," Tony mused. "Lucas is probably the most harmless guy I know in our grade...well, I mean, except for Lloyd, I suppose. Maybe that's why Claus gets all snarky with you whenever you tease the crap out of Lloyd."

Jeff shook his head, frowning at the use of the crude colloquial phrase. "That is an unlikely theory," he said, grumpily jabbing the spoon in his direction. "I don't tease _the crap _out of Lloyd."

Slowly, Lloyd's laughter petered off. The timid genius fixed his wistful eyes onto the solar car. "I miss him. Them." A sad tone crept into his voice. "Sometimes around five, Ninten and Ness would crash to order pizza, remember?"

"Yeah, and Claus would tell them both to buzz off." Tony laughed. "It was always so funny, because whenever Lucas stopped by, Claus would turn into such a huge softie. And Poo...Poo was _amazing._ He was always able to find anything we lost in this dump. I can't believe he was able to find your computer chip crammed in the back cabinet!"

"He's an incredible friend. They all are." Jeff slumped his shoulders. He looked drained. "It's strange. It's only been a week, but..."

"...it feels like they've been missing for eons," Lloyd said quietly.

The silence was almost suffocating. In a feeble attempt to lighten the mood, Tony dove his fingers into his pocket and snatched out his cell. "While we're talking about good old times, who's up for some..." Tony flexed his biceps, striking a glamorous pose so glorious that even Johnny Bravo would've burst into manly tears. "_MACH_ _pizza?" _

There was an awkward silence. Jeff coughed.

"...Lloyd," Tony hissed, not breaking pose. "Throw the glitter."

"Oh. OH!"

Lloyd emptied the can. With a dazzling FWOOOSH of gold, the glitter cascaded down, surrounding Tony in a stylish shower of epic anime sparkles. Without breaking pose, Tony flashed a dreamy smile, then closed his dazzling anime-esque eyes. "Oh, yes. Baby, now _that's_ what I'm talking about."

"How did you even-nevermind." Jeff caved into a snort of laughter. "I suppose a large Mach Pizza sounds rather nice." Almost immediately, however, he threw Tony a sharp look. "But don't pay for it with your savings."

Tony frowned, finger hovering over the call button. "But-"

"I knew you paid last time. I keep track of my bills."

Caught red-handed, Tony flushed a deep crimson. "It's not right. I'm lodging with you for _free,"_ he protested, clenching his fists. "I've got a job, Jeff! I should pay for something-"

"Can you stop being so chivalrous and think _logically_ for once?" Jeff said, exasperated. "Use my credit card. Lloyd's been living with me FOR FREE, and you don't hear HIM complaining about paying."

In a flurry of nerves, Lloyd dropped his screwdriver. "Is cost a problem?" he said, sounding worried. "Jeff, I think I have some savings I can spare-"

"OH, DEAR EINSTEIN, NO!" In a rare act of breaking his composure, Jeff face-palmed. "This is ridiculous," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen, Lloyd, you're my _cousin,_ and Tony, you're my special guest. For crying out loud, my dad's a renowned scientist. WE CAN AFFORD IT. Nobody should feel guilt-tripped over worthless green paper, and the next time anyone even mentions the word _money,_ I'll build you a damn money-machine for your birthday! Am I clear?!"

Still silence followed his rant. Instantly, Tony's blush darkened, creeping down his neck. "I'm...I'm _your_ special guest?"

"Yes. You are."

"Oh. Wow. I mean, gosh. Thanks, Jeff. That's, uh...wow." Tony flustered, straightening the bowler hat on his head. As if on cue, the hat chose that very moment to fall to the ground with a comical _splat._ With trembling hands, Tony picked it back up, only to drop it again between his fingers.

"Tony..." Exasperated, Jeff leaped to his feet, briskly striding over. "Here, let me get that for you."

"N-No, it's f-fine!" Tony sputtered. Frantic, he scrambled onto his knees, reaching for his hat-

Until Jeff's fingers brushed against his palm.

"ACK!"

Eyes widening to the size of saucers, Tony squeaked, jerking back in surprise. He skedaddled backwards, tripping over a stray screwdriver, and with a painful clatter of metal, Tony slammed face-first into the neglected pile of tools.

Feeling like his face burn like a hot furnace, Tony sputtered, entangling himself from the copper wires coiling around his arms. Mortified, he made a move to stand, only to freeze when a familiar hand fell into his line of sight.

"Are you all right?" Blue eyes barely suppressing his own mirth, Jeff shook his head in amusement. "You took quite a fall."

"I'm f-fine!" Tony squeaked. As if things couldn't get worse, his voice chose that perfect moment to crack_. _

Oh dear lord did Tony wish he could die right there on the spot.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Jeff said, noting Tony's embarrassment.

"...Huh?" Horrified disbelief flashed across Tony's face. _HE KNOWS? OH GOD, DOES HE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT I-_

"Your larynx expands during puberty."

Tony blankly stared back at him.

Jeff cleared his throat. "Your voice cracked...?"

"Oh. OH!" Banishing his thoughts, Tony gave an awkward laugh. "It did! AND I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE! HOW WEIRD OF ME. HA. HAHAHA. Ha."

Jeff cocked an eyebrow. "Did the fall impair your mental capacity?" he asked in concern, reaching out to touch Tony's temples. "Lie still. I can measure your brain waves with my-"

"NO! I, I-I mean, yes, I'm fine." Feeling like he was suffocating from awkwardness, Tony ignored the offered hand and wrenched himself onto his feet. "Well then, if you'll _excuuuuuuse_ me, I'll be off to buy that pizza."

"With my credit card," Jeff added firmly.

Tony laughed nervously. "Riiiiiiiiiight. With YOUR credit card. Not mine. Yours. That is, the credit card that's totally not mine."

Jeff started to give him another weird look, and dying again from sheer mortification, Tony almost _SPRINTED_ out of the garage as if Jeff were a carnivorous T-Rex. "FAREWELL, FRIENDS."

As Tony disappeared, the blond genius frowned, staring after his friend's flustered form. "I sincerely hope that the fall didn't incapacitate him."

Lloyd looked up curiously. "He looks fine. Physiologically speaking."

"...Physiologically speaking?"

Turning away from his baffled cousin, Lloyd hid a knowing smile. "Physiologically speaking."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Physiologically speaking, Tony's phenylethylamine had triggered a major influx of adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin into his nervous system.

In short, Tony was absolutely, irrevocably, and undeniably stuck in Cloud Nine. A goofy, love-struck smile spread across his face, and he hugged himself, internally fan-boy screaming all the while.

"He said that I was _his_ special guest...and...and then_...he_ _touched my hand_...! AHHHH!" Controlling his frazzled nerves, Tony slapped himself silly. "CONTROL YOURSELF, BOI. WHY U GET ALL FLUSTERED OVER SOMETHING SO SILLY? Bad Tony. _Very_ bad Tony. Jeff was only trying to help me up like a REAL FRIEND would do. Nothing lovey-dovey, nope nope."

Breathing in deeply, Tony took a determined nod, then grimly pounded a fist to his chest. "Well, that gives me more reason to be his bestest friend in the world, right? I can tell he's stuck in a pretty deep down after losing his friends..." A pause. "Jeff's helped me out of a rough spot. That means I should be there for him whenever he needs it. Like right now."

Another pause.

A sly smile curled up his lips. "But I'm still payin' for that pizza."

Whipping out his cell, Tony was just about to dial the appropriate number when he realized that he had forgotten something VERY important. Drawing in a dramatic gasp of horror, Tony hastily cupped his hands into a loud scream of despair. "_JEFF_!"

"YEAH?!" Said boy yelled back as if they were separated by an entire football stadium.

"WHAT TOPPINGS DO YOU WANT?!"

"WHAT DO THEY HAVE?"

"UUUUUH, LET ME CHECK!" Tony checked his phone, scrolling down to the popular choices. "DO YOU WANT MEATLOVER'S OR CHEEEEESE?!"

"ORDER BOTH!"

"BOTH?! WHYYYYY?"

"LLOYD'S VEGETARIAN!"

"OH, RIGHT! THAAAANKS!"

"SURE THING!" A pause. "WHY ARE WE SHOUTING?!"

"I DUNNO!"

Tony could almost feel Jeff's invisible eye-roll even from the kitchen. "Well, don't forget to use my credit card!"

"Okay! I'll try not to not forget!"

Jeff wasn't fooled. "Tony, that means you'll FORGET!"

"Really?!" Tony asked in feigned surprise. "OH GOSH, I TOTALLY DID NOT REALIZE! HOW SILLY OF ME. Well then, I'll try not to not not not not not not not forget!"

"That was _eight_ not's!"

"Fine! Not! That's nine!" Tony added. "Not," he whispered under his breath, secretly counting the negatives to ten.

In the most professional manner he could muster, Tony dialed the number to the pizza store. Once the order was placed (YES!), Tony clicked his phone off, then skipped away, humming a merry tune to himself. Just as he set foot in the foyer, the doorbell rang with an automated voice:

**"E EQUALS MC SQUARED."**

Tony blinked in surprise. "Wow. That was fast."

Something didn't feel right.

Tony narrowed his eyes at the door, studying it with peaking suspicion. In fact, as he sidled closer to it, he jumped when wild, raucous shouting bombarded his ears. The door bell rang three more times in rapid succession.

**"E EQUALS - E EQUALS - E EQUALS MC SQUARED."**

Tony scowled. Teens these days were so _uncultured._ Honestly, would it seriously kill someone to use some proper manners every now and then?

But as even as he waited, those yells suspiciously formed into a coherent words. Hesitating, Tony rested his ear against the door and strained his ears. Second by second, the cries resounded clearer and clearer...

"JEFF! Please, Jeff! Open the door! Jeff!"

Tony's eyes widened in shock. "Who's there?"

Abruptly, the voices stopped at once, stagnating the air with an eerie silence. Disturbed by the unusual change in volume, Tony gulped down his fear, waiting for whoever it was to respond.

Next moment found Tony dropping to his knees, overwhelmed by the loud mental screaming that clashed against ears like thunderous symbols. Eyes watering in pain, he gasped, struggling to adjust to the discord, which was quickly washed away by a worried voice.

"Jeff...please...do you...ear me...aula...Please, save us!"

Tony's eyes dawned with recognition. "That voice-"

"What's going on, Tony?"

Tony snapped his head up at the sharp question. With his emerald overcoat crinkled and disheveled, Jeff looked wide-eyed, obviously caught off-guard by the sudden telepathic assault. His glasses had been knocked askew in his mad dash; likewise, the mental plea must have caught his attention too.

"I-I don't know," Tony panicked. "Someone's at the door for you."

Jeff's blue eyes flashed in sudden realization. "Paula."

"What?!"

In an instant, Jeff was striding across the foyer, clumsily scrambling for the lock. In a heartbeat, he wrenched it open, revealing a motley crew of people.

"JEFF!"

With a happy cry, Paula dashed over to swing Jeff into a hug. Tony blinked, overwhelmed by the sudden influx of people.

"Wow, this is one _BIG_ house," Kumatora said, strolling into the capacious mansion with a look of appreciation. The room was so large that even with the new arrivals, its massive emptiness threatened to engulf them.

"It's very neat too," Ana added, staring at the mathematical formulas tattooed on the wall. Next to the fireplace hung faded newpaper clippings, fluttering like last year's confetti. A rather fresh page was plastered on the very right: _DISCOVERY OF GRAVITY WAVES CONFIRMED!_

Jeff coughed, looking rather embarrassed. "My dad's at the lab across the street. The only people here are me, Tony, and Lloyd."

Ana's face brightened. "Lloyd's awake too?!"

"Indeed, he is."

Looking rather flustered, Poo and Duster awkwardly sidled in. "We apologize for inconveniencing you at such an unseemly time," Poo started, but he was quickly cut off when Jeff clasped his digits in a firm handshake. Intelligent blue eyes brightened in relief.

"Poo. I'm glad to see that you're alive and well."

Poo blinked, taken aback by the warm reception. He smiled, teeth glinting in the light. "Jeff. The pleasure is all mine."

"Don't get me wrong, guys. It's nice to have you all back," Tony began, and everyone turned to stare at the incredibly confused brunette. "But at the risk of sounding terribly rude..." He wildly jabbed a hand into their faces. "WHAT THE HEY IS GOING ON?! AND WHO ARE YOUUUUUU?!"

Tony pointed his finger straight at Duster.

"Hey, show some respect, Big T," Kumatora said, jabbing her thumb at Duster. "THAT'S the son of the Police Chief you're pointing at."

With a gasp, Tony turned to face Duster so quickly that the older man was left almost breathless in shock. "OH. EM. GEE. I am so _terribly_ sorry!" Tony exclaimed, bowing several times in mortification. "Please forgive my rudeness, sir."

Duster chuckled sheepishly. "You know Kumatora?"

"I was going to say," Jeff inquired with a frown.

Sharing a smug look with Kumatora, Tony nodded mysteriously, exaggerating his hands into a sophisticated bow. "I have my connections. M'lady and I go quite _far back_ in history."

"Tell me about it," Kumatora smirked.

"...I see." For some reason, Jeff's frown didn't ease, but before he could say anything else, a welcome interruption came in the hasty form of their last arrival.

"Guys, _GUYS!"_

"About time you came," Tony said, turning around to address him in a teasing tone. "Lloyd, you just missed all the celebratory fanfare..."

His voice died in his throat.

Lloyd wore a startling wide-eyed look of shock, his tremulous fingers tapping the wall in impatient agitation. In an agonizingly slow motion, the albino tremulously lifted his eyes. Slowly but surely, five shivering words dropped out of his lips.

"Claus has my tool kit."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

In an instant, Jeff froze in rigid shock. "Claus has your tool kit?!"

"I KNOW! This changes EVERYTHING!" Lloyd paced back and forth in unrestrained excitement. "If I can just isolate the perfect frequency, then I'd be able to locate my toolbox. WHICH MEANS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND CLAUS."

"WHAT?!" Kumatora leaped to her feet, energized by the breakthrough. "HOLY SHIT! HOW?!"

Lloyd turned pink. "I place tracking devices on all of my belongings," he said quietly, shifting his feet in embarrassment. "People used to steal my stuff, so I wanted to know where they went."

Ana turned to him sympathetically. "That's no fun."

"Don't worry about it. Really!" Lloyd countered earnestly. "Nowadays, it's more a force of habit. I think I've started taking them off of my pencils last month-"

"YOU PUT TRACKING DEVICES ON YOUR _PENCILS_?!" Tony exclaimed in horror.

Lloyd blushed a dark crimson. "For experimental reasons."

"...I will _never_ borrow anything from you again," Tony fervently told him.

Kumatora lightly smacked Tony upside the head. "Stop it; you're embarrassing us!"

"Ow! Lay off it, Kuma," Tony protested, straightening his hat. "I was just kidding."

"In any case, if we find Claus, that means we might be able to find the others as well!" Paula exclaimed, clenching her fists. Fiery determination danced in her eyes. "Lloyd, you're brilliant!"

If possible, Lloyd turned a darker shade of crimson. "A-ah, eheh...thanks, guys...but we shouldn't be celebrating just yet..."

"Lloyd is right. We shouldn't set our hopes too high," Poo warned. "There is no guarantee that Claus still has the tool box with him."

Lloyd gulped. "Well...Th-There's that...and...another _tiny_ problem..."

Ana looked worried. "What problem?"

"Someone may or may not have stolen my remote-controlled sensor," Lloyd mumbled under his breath, fiddling with his fingers. "So as of now, I can't track down any of my stolen belongings."

Jeff threw him a look. "You told me people weren't stealing your stuff any more!"

"They aren't!" Lloyd protested, raising his hands. "I was only talking about the sensor!"

"How did they steal it?" Paula asked, worried.

"Well..." Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yesterday, I was walking back home from school when some random teen jumped out, demanding money. Naturally, I told him I had no cash on me, but then, the goon pick-pockets me and steals the sensor. I told him to give it back, but he only laughed in my face and ran off. I think he said something about selling it on EEK-bay for an exorbitant amount of money, but so far, I've found nothing."

Kumatora groaned, dragging a palm down her face. "_Of course_. Did you get a good look at his face?"

Lloyd hesitated. "Not really. He was masked...but he sounded around my age."

"Hold on." Paula's eyes flared up. "Did you take the route by the Metro?"

Lloyd looked startled. "Yeah, I did."

"If I had to guess, the person who robbed you might've been a Shark."

Lloyd rapidly paled to a stark white. "Oh no, the metro _is_ on their turf! How did I forget that?! AH! I can't believe I-"

"Don't worry, Lloyd. Getting that sensor back shouldn't be a problem. Just leave it to me." Paula grimly cracked her knuckles. "It's about time we paid a call to a certain _friend."_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Paula-girl, you can't be serious."

"I'm as dead serious as a door knob, Frank."

"No. Sorry, kid, but it's a BIG no-no."

"Frank, please-"

"Look, I can't just _stroll_ in and stop my ex-gang from robbing people just because I used t' be the boss. Gangs don't work that way, 'Hon. You bail, you're marked for LIFE."

"Maybe you're right, but the Sharks are different! I can tell! They still look up to you, Mr. Fly," Paula protested. "The first time Ness and I ran into you, I could sense their feelings. They admire you to the point of _idolatry_."

The phone crackled with a snort of disbelief. "Idolatry? I doubt it. Their damn crime rate's been _peaking _since I last left. The Sharks must be under new management-"

"They're only getting rowdier because they want _you_ back," Paula said softly. "From what you've told me, you left without an explanation. As far as they know, you've simply vanished off the face of the planet."

"And that's exactly the way I want it to be." A sharp intake of breath, and Paula could almost see the deep frown on Frank's face. "I was..._ashamed_ of what I've done. I'm not exactly proud of my past, Paula. After Chief Strong indicted Teddy with false marijuana charges and Ninten's folks bailed him out, we decided to leave _that_ history behind us. Naturally, handing in our resignation forms wasn't something we could do. If we 'fessed up, the gang would've hollered bloody murder on the spot."

"Give it a chance. I've been telling you, Frank, for nearly an entire year, but the Sharks really do look up to you. They think you abandoned them because they weren't being good enough at their job."

"...You wanna know somethin' 'bout me, Paula-girl?" A burly hand hit the phone receiver, emitting a sharp crackle into her ear. "I didn't choose the thug life. The thug life chose _me. _My pappi died because of police brutality." Frank gave a bitter bark of laughter. "He tried to steal _one_ apple. Just one. But when them officers arrived on scene, none o' them gave a fuck. Blew his brains out with a gat right on the damn sidewalk."*

Paula closed her mouth, looking horrified. "They _didn't!"_

"Damn right, they did. That changed me, that did. I wasn't no good in schoo' either. I was damn right one of those nasty "trouble kids" from the start. I got in deep with the bad kids then did all kinds of stupid things, ya' hear? Oh yeah, I was a bad kid, and the Sharks liked me. They liked me so bad that they recruited me on the spot. I passed my beat-in...an' I was only twelve."** A pause. "Joinin' the Sharks is the biggest regret o' my life. Don't be like me when yah grow up, ya hear? A lifetime of crime aint worth dyin' for. Keep stayin' the good girl you are."

Paula bit her lip. "Frank...I didn't know...I'm sorry I said-"

"Nah, watchu talkin' about? You helped me, Paula. You and yo' friends. And Teddy." A softer tone. "I scored lucky when I got paired up wi' Teddy in some crank deal.*** We've been inseparable evah since. He's a right cuz, that Teddy is.**** I didn't know he joined the hood earlier than I did, back when the gang was called "bla-bla" or some shit. But point is, Paula, I aint going back. What the Sharks stole is none of my business no more."

"Please, Frank," Paula begged. "I know it's a lot to ask, considering that Teddy helped us find lodging elsewhere, but we _really_ need that sensor. You've got to have heard the news by now. Ness and the others are in danger. Their lives may even be at stake right now...!"

"Aw, Paula-girl. don't be like this. Now you're jus' making me feel guilty."

"That sensor's our only hope..." Paula clutched the phone handle desperately. "If you can't help us, then do you know any way to get it back? Jeff and Lloyd are pretty clever, and with Kumatora, I might be able to infiltrate the base-"

"Nah. Won't work. Beatin' the crap out of them will only make thangs worse." A pause, then a deep sigh. "Okay, easy there, Paula-girl. I don't lie'kit, but I'd rather not let a young lady like you wanderin' the hood, even if you _do_ have those bad-ass magic powers. All right, lemme talk to Teddy about it. See what he thinks about it first. If he gives the go, then we get that sensor back pronto. If not..."

"I understand. Frank, I appreciate that you're even _considering_ the option," Paula responded, seizing the phone receiver like a life-line. She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. "Thank you. Thank you, Frank. Thank you so much."

"Paula-girl, it's the least I can do to help. Ain't that what friends are fo'?"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The heavenly sight stole their breath away.

Darkness enshrouded them in a nightly shower of sparkling stars. Akin to a movie theatre, Jeff's room was both grandiose and majestic. Had there not been the telltale sheen of a glossy, glass roof, they would've been sorely fooled; it felt like there was nothing between their hands and the glittering planets above. Several odd inventions were neatly stacked around the tidy bookshelves: a sleek microscope with 10 colored lenses, a pack of plastic bottle rockets, and a round, luminescent solar clock with figures that glowed with not only the time, but also the date, year, weather, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and geographic location.

"Is _that_ a hologram projector?!" Kumatora asked in disbelief.

Jeff smartly rapped a long magnetic rod, activating the 3D holo-screen. "It makes my presentation look very persuasive."

"As if you weren't already persuasive enough to begin with," Tony slyly added, shooting him a playful wink.

Jeff rolled his eyes, then tapped the screen. It hummed low under his dexterous touch. "From what you've all told me, Lloyd and I were able to create a hypothesis that matched up with our observations. By this point, everyone should know that Giygas is somehow responsible for these catastrophic phenomena. We don't know how, and we don't know why, but he is connected in some way."

Blue eyes scrutinized their forms, flickering in an almost pale, icy-blue light. "Are you all with me so far?"

The audience gave several murmurs of assent, and Jeff jabbed the hologram. The eerie-green light flickered into the shape of the earth.

"The world is ending even as we speak," Jeff said frankly. "You've all witnessed bloody geysers, massive earthquakes, et cetera, et cetera. Moving on."

The hologram shifted into a strange-looking device.

"Aside from filling in as our physics teacher, my father also specializes in the works of time and relativity," Jeff said. "He has secretly managed to create a prototype time machine, aptly dubbed _Phase Distorter_. It can not only travel through time, but can also measure the stability of Space-Time continuum. I will not bore you with the quantum physics behind its creation, but the bottom line is this: Recently, we discovered something UNUSUAL."

A deep frown decorating his expression, Jeff jabbed at the hologram. "There was a significant rip in the space-time continuum about 1.4 cm wide. You can say - in ordinary jargon - roughly about the size of an average bee."

"A rip in the space-time continuum?" Ana said, stunned. "How is that even possible?"

"That is where PSI comes in." Jeff turned around. "Poo, is there a PSI that can transverse _time _itself?"

Poo frowned deeply in concentration. "I have never witnessed such a phenomenon," he said slowly. "But I have read of its existence: a rare, but extremely unique type of PK Teleport. It is named 4th Dimension Slip."

"Perfect. Our hypothesis stands." Jeff crossed his arms. "Time travel is a highly unstable method of transportation. For short lengths, say up to a few months, the time-space continuum can accommodate the change and remain quite stable. But say that someone from the distant past - or distant future - has come to the present. That means we're talking YEARS, maybe even DECADES of time travel. The strain is simply too much for the fabric of space to handle, and thus we get a rip in the time-space continuum. I wouldn't be surprised if the formation of black holes has begun to accelerate within the past 24 hours."

Kumatora laughed. "Okay, now you've lost it. This theory is a _crapshoot__."_ She jabbed her finger forward to accentuate her words. _"One,_ WHY did the time traveler travel here to the present? And _two,_ how does GIYGAS fit into this? I understand your whole "there is a disruption in time-space blah blah blah" but you haven't answered any of our major questions."

"Those are excellent points, and we _just_ might be able to answer the first," Lloyd said nervously. "As Jeff said, the Earth is falling into disarray due to forced time travel. According to theory, this time traveler would've most likely arrived from the future or the past, ideally with a mission to save THIS timeline from an apocalypse caused by Giygas."

"Woah. Let me get this straight." Kumatora raised her hands. "So you're telling me that this so-called "time-traveler" arrived here to save this timeline from Giygas's apocalypse, but by coming here he's CAUSING the apocalypse?"

"Yes."

"That makes no sense!"

"Time paradox," Jeff calmly interjected.

"Well...shit." Kumatora ran a hand through her hair. "So...What _can_ we do to stop this apocalypse?"

Jeff and Lloyd shared an uneasy glance.

"As of now? Absolutely nothing," Lloyd said feebly, wringing his hands. Perspiration dotted his forehead in rivulets of anxiety. "It's inevitable. The laws of science can't be broken. Manipulated and twisted, yes, but _definitely_ not broken. What we need now is a _miracle-"_

"A miracle that I think can be achieved."

They all turned around to stare at Poo.

"There is a legend in my country. A myth regarding the Seven Needles." Poo trailed off. "I wonder..."

Jeff adjusted his glasses. "The Seven Needles?"

Poo hesitated. "It is a long legend."

Kumatora's eyes flitted over to the Dalaamese prince. "Care to share?"

"...Make yourselves comfortable."

Once they had all settled down, Poo burst into speech. His low, melodious voice smoothly rolled the words off his tongue as the Ancient Legend came to life before their very eyes:

"Many hundred years ago, a magical meteorite collided into Earth from space. It was a curious artifact that housed a wondrous, yet unearthly being: The Dark Dragon."

"The Dark Dragon had the genie's touch; it could grant any wish, no matter how big or how small. Naturally, the human race took advantage this. Of the many people who dared to request an audience, a select few were granted magic powers of their own. These powers were easily passed down the generations as a hereditary trait, and later became the first recorded use of PSI."

"However, as we all know, such power came at a price. We became greedy. Every person wanted the meteorite; every person wanted the Dark Dragon to grant their wishes. Eventually due to human selfishness, crime rose, and the Dark Dragon finally lost its patience.

**"Your minds and souls have been tainted with darkness. A last chance I will give for the Human Race to redeem itself,"** it spoke. **"To the Chosen One, beholder of fate and purest of soul, Pass Down Your Heart, for ****I will grant thee - and only thee - the power to recreate the world. If Life shall not prosper, then out of wicked selfishness shall it fade."**

Alarmed, seven of Dalaam's most powerful warlocks swore an oath. The seven brothers sacrificed their own lives to conjure an Anciente Magick Spelle, which liquefied the meteor into Seven Needles and buried the Dark Dragon deep into the Earth's core. With their lives bound to their duty, they were reborn as Protectors of the Seven Needles, sealing away the Dark Dragon until it could be summoned for proper use. These Seven Protectors were named the Magypsies, and to this very day, the Dark Dragon has patiently waited, seeking an eternal end to its slumber."

There was an impressive pause at the end of the solemn story.

Jeff adjusted his glasses. "So to paraphrase, if the majority of these _Needles_ are pulled by someone of good intent, the world would be resurrected; if the majority of the Needles are pulled by someone of ill intent - a.k.a. greed, selfishness, _et cetera -_ the world would fall to ruin."

"Yes."

"The situation is scarier than I perceived." Jeff shook his head. "Then we can't let Giygas pull the Seven Needles. We need to beat him to it, so that we can stabilize the time-space continuum and save the world."

"Jeff, I would agree on that train of thought...Except that it's no longer _Seven_ Needles," Poo corrected, looking grim. "As of now, only _ONE_ needle stands: the Seventh Needle. Of all others, the Seventh Needle is the most important, because it alone lies directly on the Head of the Dark Dragon."

"Only _ONE_?! Ana looked horrified. "What happened to the other six?"

"That is a story for another time."

"Then we need to find the Seventh Needle before Gigyas does!" Ana said urgently.

"Yes, and no." Poo raised his hand in a polite manner. "Ana, I believe that Giygas has already found the Seventh Needle."

"HOW ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS?!" Kumatora exploded, looking absolutely frustrated. "Giygas could pull it any second now!"

"Therein lies the crucial flaw to his plan. Giygas _cannot_ pull it," Poo continued without breaking his calm demeanor. "As the legend states, only the Pure of Heart have the ability to summon the Dark Dragon. It is a riddle. Honest desire stems from the Heart, which refers to a PSI that strongly emphasizes PASSION, or PK Love. As we can surmise, Giygas has been plotting for _years;_ had he already known PK Love, we would not be existing today."

"But if Giygas destroyed the world with the Seventh Needle back in the original timeline," Paula began. "That means someone can already use PK Love _at this very moment._"

"We need to warn Ninten and the others. They can't stop Giygas without pulling the Seventh Needle!" Ana added. "And if they don't find this PK Love user soon-"

"But they already have." Shoulders sagging, Poo looked strangely wilted; a haunted exhaustion roiled in his eyes. "Giygas was clearly using us as bait to lure the four of them into the facility. That means that one of them can already use PK Love. If I had to wager a bet, I believe it's one of the twins...maybe even both."

Ana frowned, noting his sudden drop in energy. "Poo, I don't understand," she said slowly. "Earlier in the legend...What did you mean by "passing your heart" down to the Dark Dragon?"

Averting his eyes, Poo didn't respond.

A sense of foreboding washed over her. "So whoever pulls the Final Needle ultimately...dies?" Ana whispered in horror. Her stomach lurched at the idea of one of her classmates ceasing to exist, and it was so unimaginable and _absurd_ that she wanted to collapse onto the floor in despair. The mere thought of sacrifice sounded terribly cruel, even if the world had to be saved.

"No one knows, Ana," Poo muttered dejectedly. "But Death seems very likely."

A heavy silence suffused the ranks.

Desperately, Lloyd faced their despondent faces. "NO! We can't give up!" He waved his arms frantically. "We've got to find a safer way while we're at it!"

"I suppose you're right," Paula interrupted, rubbing her eyes. "But back to Square One: we can't do _anything_ until we lock onto Claus's coordinates. That means, in case Frank bails, you should find a way to get that sensor back, Lloyd." Paula rummaged through the pocket of her dress. "Claus gave me your screwdriver back at the facility. I don't know if it'll help, but-"

"Oh, no. You have no idea how much that helps." Eagerly, Lloyd took the screwdriver into his hands. "Thanks, Paula!"

A smile quirked at her lips. "Of course. We're in this together."

"Absolutely!" the albino cried. With a rare burst of determination, Lloyd leaped to his feet. "I'll work on this! EVEN IF THAT MEANS I HAVE TO MISS A MONTH OF SLEEP AND SCHOOL!"

"I'm so glad you have your priorities straight." Kumatora rolled her eyes. "Saving your grades should take a backseat to, uh, I don't know, _Saving the World?!"_

"Well, in that case, I'm skipping school too," Jeff added bluntly.

Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

"But Jeff, your dad-"

"Paula, I've been a straight-A student. I can just tell my dad that I'm busy with the Solar car. I doubt he'd notice that I'm absent." Jeff shrugged her concerns off, and in place, an almost maniacal gleam entered his eyes. "Besides, even if we _do _find Claus, we need transportation. My dad has a run-down Skyrunner in the shed. It's old, but if I rewire it properly...resuscitate the engine and replace the pumps...it should run just like new."

"Sounds like a plan!" Tony crowed, punching the air. "What can I do to help?!"

With a wide smirk, Kumatora pulled the hyperactive boy back into his seat. "What _YOU_ can do is SIT YO ASS DOWN and STAY OUT OF JEFF'S WAY. Kapeesh?"

Tony pouted, crossing his arms, but didn't contradict her.

But something else had started to bug Ana's mind. "There's still one thing I want to know..." Ana turned around, facing Poo in concern. "Why is Giygas so willing to risk the future of the entire planet? Why does he want to pull the Seventh Needle so _badly_?"

"Pokey knows." At Duster's sudden words, everyone turned around to face him. Slightly unnerved by the sudden attention, Duster softly met their eyes. "He wouldn't explain, but I think it's because-"

**"E EQUALS MC SQUARED."**

"...That's the doorbell," Tony said offhandedly.

Jeff frowned. "Is this someone else from your party...?"

"No," Poo answered. "We are all here. Everyone has been well accounted for."

"Maybe it's your dad," Paula suggested.

"Doubtful. My father is staying overnight at the lab. Another one of his colleagues sound highly unlikely. It must be someone I must not kno-"

"HELP!"

Startled by the scream, Jeff rushed forward with everyone at his heels. Charging up his pop gun, Jeff unlocked the deadbolt, wrenching the door open to reveal a shock of blond hair. A bloody, battered body tumbled into Jeff's vision, sprawling into a dead heap on the marble tiles.

"GOOD HEAVENS!" Jeff cried, looking absolutely flabbergasted. "Who in the world...?"

In a blur, a smaller shadow latched onto the fallen body, shaking it desperately with all his might. "NO! No, no, no, no! Wake up! Pokey, p-please wake up-"

This time, it was Paula's turn to jump back, and she did so with a shocked scream. "PICKY?!"

A flurry of confusion punched their minds at the unexpected arrivals.

"What's going on?"

"Oh god, is _that_-"

"H-Help me, please! P-Paula! He's not waking up, do something-"

"Out of the way," Duster said sharply, limping over. In a heartbeat, everyone complied, hastily making way for the older man. Kneeling by the limp boy's side, Duster instantly wasted no time to check for vitals, feeling for Pokey's pulse. It was there: steady, yet growing fainter by the second. "Kuma, can you-"

"On it." With a glow of her hands, Kumatora bathed the bloody cuts in soothing green light. The refreshing aroma of peppermints popped and snapped into the crisp air, and a heartbeat later, the injuries had all but faded into small scars.

Kumatora frowned. "The cuts were deeper than I expected..."

"Is he okay?! Is he hurt?! Pokey-"

"I'm bringing him to the station. Picky, stay here. Don't leave under any circumstance," Duster said in a steely voice. Swiftly sweeping the breathing body into his arms as if Pokey weighed no less than a feather, Duster vanished into the darkness of night.

"B-But...Pokey...he's not...?"

Paula gently tugged at the distressed boy's shirt. "Picky, we need to heal your injuries..."

Picky flinched violently. He hastily backed away, tripping on the metal umbrella stand which tipped over in a loud, resounding clatter.

"PICKY!" Worried to the brim, Paula instantly hurried over. "Here, let me-"

"NO! GO AWAY!" Picky panicked, eyes bulging into the size of saucers. He blindly squirmed against the floor, shrieking and kicking, wildly getting himself more and more entangled in the cluster of umbrellas.

Said boy looked worse for wear. Picky looked _terrible;_ Weak knees buckled, threatening to fail his frail frame. Tears dribbled down his dirt-stained cheeks, and lost for breath, the poor boy doubled over gasping for air. A mottled set of fresh bruises shone on his neck, dots that oddly resembled fingerprints -

"Picky," Paula breathed, eyes widening in crushing realization. "Who did this to you?"

Hugging himself, Picky trembled violently, turning his shaking form away from her view. "N-No one..."

"Was it a classmate? A friend?" Paula already know that those choices were impossible considering the time of day. Cold dread crept up her spine. "...Was it your parents?"

"I said it was no one!"

"If your parents are-"

"NO! It's not them! I never said they did it, THEY DIDN'T-"

"Picky." The change in voice struck him dumb, and alarmed, Picky whipped his face up. With an unreadable expression on his face, Poo quietly stared down at him. "Where does it hurt?"

"I-It doesn't h-hurt...anywhere..." With a strangled cry, Picky buried his face into his knees. "No more...no more q-questions..."

"No more questions," Poo agreed, sitting down and opening his palms. "Look at me. We won't hurt you."

Dead silence.

"Please, Picky," Paula said softly. "Let us heal you. Let us _help_ you."

Picky shifted, throwing her a terribly lost look that clenched at her heartstrings. Watery eyes blinked, shattered with hurt, and a film of shivering tears coated his pale eyes. But ever so slowly, Picky inched forward, keeping his eyes fixated to the ground. After an excruciatingly long time, he hesitated, sliding his hand onto her palm. Gently, so as not to startle him, Paula drew him closer, shielding him in an embrace. At contact, he flinched, trembling in her hold, but remained put, closing his eyes and letting hot tears seep from his lashes in twin rivulets of misery.

"This might feel strange at first, but bear with me," Paula murmured, loosening her hold to whisper the desired incantation. "PK Healing."

The soft perfume of honey floated into the air as the magic did its work, knitting together skin and erasing swollen purple sores. Light, feathery PSI tickled the bruises away, allowing soft, delicate skin to regain its peachy color. Blinking, Picky examined its after-effects, studying the unblemished skin on his arms and legs. He shakily stood up, experimentally kicking his feet for any sensation of pain, then lowered his limbs into a sitting position.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Paula nodded. "Does anything hurt?"

"N-No..."

"Do you feel sick? Feel a light burn?"

"...No."

"Good." Paula slumped over, looking haggard and worn out. "Looks like you don't have the side-effects."

As if struck by lightning, Picky jumped to his feet. Hysteria once again clouded his eyes. "How about my brother? Will he be okay?"

"Picky..."

"I'm not supposed to be here," he choked, eyes shining brightly from pure terror. "Mom and dad don't know I'm here. Pokey wanted to r-run when my mom...she didn't sound too happy and...and...when I left, I could tell that dad was...Pokey...they were...they..." A ragged, almost hysterical sob. "Please! Please you've got to save my brother! I don't know how long he'll last and...and...!"

"Picky, calm down-"

"You don't understand!" he rambled on, clearly unaffected by their reassuring words. "Pokey's gonna hate me...He said not to tell anyone, b-but now I did and Mr. Duster knows a-and what's going to happen to mom and dad? Are they going to jail?" Fear shone in his eyes. "I didn't mean to say anything! It was all a joke, I swear-"

_Help me out here._ Paula helplessly looked up at her friends, but they all looked just as lost for words.

Finally, Tony stirred, gently leaning over to intervene. "Hey there, lil' fella'," he said kindly, lowering his hat into a bow. "It's been a rough night...huh? I know bad things've been going on, but everyone's told me how brave you've been for the past week. And if you ask me, that's _amazing_."

"...It is?"

"It is," Tony said firmly, kneeling to his height. "Picky, I know it's hard...but we need your help. We need you need to be brave. For your brother. Be strong for him, because you know he'd do the same for you. Can you do that for us?"

With a hiccup, Picky rubbed his eyes. "Y-Yeah...," he said hoarsely. "I need to be brave..."

"There we go," Tony said encouragingly. "Atta boy."

With a pained grimace, Picky's face fell. "It hurts," he whispered, clutching at his heart. Wide, innocent-blue eyes looked up into his face. "They didn't hit me, but it still hurts. It hurts a lot. Like my chest is gonna explode. Maybe I should've done something to help...but I didn't. I'm a coward..."

Warm sienna eyes radiating comfort, Tony gently intertwined Picky's tiny fingers within his, smoothly sliding the small palm directly over the little boy's heart. A steady pulse reverberated under their fingers. "Feel that?"

Picky slowly nodded.

"That sounds to me like a heart of gold. You love your brother. You did your best. I don't think that speaks _coward_ at all_."_

"But I'm still scared." Picky's voice trembled. "Where's my brother? I want...I want my brother..."

Tony felt a lump rise in his throat. "I promise, Picky. You'll see him soon."

Relief clouded Picky's sleepy eyes; the healing process must have exhausted him soundly. "That's good. I don't want him to...t-to...die. Pokey pretends that I'm really annoying, but when m-mom's not there, he can be really nice..." Picky paused. His sad gaze seemed to pierce Tony right into his soul. "Is it still wrong...to love my mom? I don't want to believe she's a bad person..."

Tony gulped down his raw emotions. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Jeff eyeing them both in concern, but instead, the brunette ignored the look, opting to let out a shaky laugh. "No, it's not. I still love my mom...even if she can't accept me for who I am. I don't think I could ever stop loving her back."

Picky lowered his eyes. "That's what Pokey said," he mumbled. "The bad man only wanted his mom back."

Restraining a choke of disbelief, Tony rubbed the moisture away from his own eyes. "You mean, _Giygas?"_

"Giygas," Picky agreed, eyes fluttering shut from exhaustion. "He...He said...he wanted his mom back. That she died a long time ago, and that he couldn't save her. He said it hurt a lot. Maybe that's why he's in pain...Because he loved her so much..."

With a sudden sigh, Picky's head drooped onto his chest.

As if someone had cast a spell, the entire hall had fallen eerily silence. No one even dared to breathe_._

...For the cold truth uttered by those childish lips sounded almost too humane to be true.

* * *

**~End of Arc III~**

* * *

*gat = Gun

**beat-in = Test to qualify for gang initiation

***crank = Street slang for the drug, Methamphetamine (Stimulant)

****cuz= Fellow hood member

^Wow look at me trying to be cool with a dictionary of street slang because I totally got this from Google

**Author's Note:**

**Heya Guys!**

**Here's the other 14k+ half of Chapter 25 and also the Prologue to Arc IV. The names of the remaining Arcs have been officially confirmed:  
****-ARC IV: Sacrifice  
****-ARC V: Aftermath****  
**

**And for convenience, here's a recap of possible future scenes from Chapter 18:**

**(1) Ness is given the kiss of life. Or death. Or whatever.  
****(2) PK Starstorm. Because reasons.  
****(3) "Don't struggle! Just endure it for a little bit."  
****(4) Claus dies.  
****(5) All of the above.**

**AT LEAST THREE CHARACTERS WILL DIE DURING THESE ARCS. To the bold and overly-ambitious, go right ahead: Feel free to draw your own predictions. I won't stop your devious plotting...but I will neither confirm nor deny your claims. ;)**

**ALSO, CHECK BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET BEFORE YOU CROSS THE ROAD. I'm serious. Last week, I almost got run over by an SUV. I didn't even notice the car barreling towards me until the lady driver was literally _three_ inches away from my nose. Pretty much, the mental exchange went like this:**

**Me: Whelp, pedestrian light's green. Time to go.  
****Driver Lady: Let me make this totally awesome right turn here *Suddenly sees short girl walking on street* WHAT THE AAAAAAAAACK  
****Me: *Covers face with arms* OH SHIT  
****Driver Lady: *Slams the brakes so hard I can almost see my reflection on the fender***

**But don't worry! I'm alive and dandy since I just updated this story (no jk I'm secretly an Osohe ghost with a fanfiction account hurrdurr) **

**Okay, I'll stop derping around. ****So...erm...I guess this is kinda late, but I'm starting to realize that a lot of your reviews tend to contain the words "cry," "sad," or "feels," all of which make me quite concerned. Guys, this is literally the calm before the storm. If you've already been crying, then...ack! I know my writing's not the best, but geez it must be terrible if it's reducing everyone to tears****. DX Gah I can't Engleesh properbly**

**Oh whelp and there go the tissues **

**Responding to your reviews~**

**Angel-Woof:** AAAAAH YOU'RE BACK! Gurl, you would not BELIEVE how many times I had to rub my eyes to read this review. It's like meeting an old friend again. :') During your absence, there was a point last semester when I got worried that something bad might've happened to you, but since you _did_ say you were busy with your classes during your last review, I hoped it was the latter. Words can't explain how happy I am right now. :') Likewise, I hope 2016 is treating you with "awesomeness, omelettes, steak, Oreos, exploding chemicals that turn into edible candy canes and good fortune." ;)

Ack, sorry for the sudden emotional train wreck! I did not mean to go all out with my feelings; I'm just so happy you're okay! XD BUT YES YOU CAUGHT THE FRIEND'S YO-YO REFERENCE! yay *explodes confetti* Pokey's an...interesting character in the sense that his cruel actions can be explained, but unjustified. I hoped I was able to convey that into these chapters. :) And well, hey, I hope your classes are going well. Science majors FTW! :D

**Connor: **Heya, Connor! How are you doing toda-

**"See you next chapter, maybe in a few years? ;)"**

Oh snap.  
Dat burn. I...I can't even...

That's it. *Lifts pitchfork* Someone's gonna have a **_bad_ **time.

jk, I kid. ;) Yeah, I'm extremely lucky to have understanding followers/favs/reviewers (like you!). One/Two months is really stretching an update, but premed's intense stuff, and sometimes when I get a fav/follow/review in between updates, I feel both flattered...and terrified. But hey, don't you go poking fun of my updating schedule, Mister! Or should I say...WASABI? Hehe I blew your secret cover. :D

Yeah, Pokey's "flashback" past from Chapter 25 was supposed to be one giant _giant_ chapter with this, but I split it..unevenly. :x I need to stop splitting chapters haha. Interesting...so you think I'll resort to giving Pokey a happy, cheesy ending? *Dons sunglasses* Challenge accepted, WASABI! OR WIMPY GUARD. Or whatever nickname I call you these days. :D

**Plushiepaw:** Haha okeedokes, Plushie. :D I'm glad that the length is okay. Tbh, this is my first *serious* longfic, so I was really uncertain with whether or not a long chapter would scare readers away. Thanks for your feedback. XD And agreed; Pokey isn't my favorite character either, but his interesting background makes him one of the best video game villains of all time. I can't ever see myself _liking_ him, but I can empathize. And yeah, I wonder how different he could've been if his parents had treated him nicely from the start. :(

Unfortunately I don't really know much about child abuse, so I did some research (wow I sound so profesh). Given the limited screen time on the Minches, I doubt it paid off though haha. XD And as for if Pokey will redeem himself...it's definitely a question worth noting, but for now...we'll see. :)

**PSIBoy: **Thanks for the exam well-wishes! Yeah, PSIBoy, I've always liked to think that Ness did care for Pokey in the game as well. It's one of those things the game never really explains, but the Magicant encounter really solidified my feelings on this one. And yes! The yo-yo was indeed a metaphor of their friendship. :) I've read some stories on abuse, so I did my best on the topic, but since it's not the MAIN topic of the fic, it probably wasn't explored enough haha. And as for your interpretation on Pokey's jealousy bringing the worst out of him...I couldn't have said it better myself. :)

Lol who doesn't hate their earlier chapters? XD I'm starting to realize that I hate writing the first and last chapters, because DARN IT, they never reach my expectations. :/ Well, I do hope you get out of your writer's block and that R&amp;R works out. And wat lmao, you actually remember that crack fic in chapter 13? XD Oh geez I forgot that abomination even existed. And "jumping on the theory train" haha no worries; every pun is a great pun. ;D

**Soliel: **Haha you flatter me; trust me, I'm not an English major for a damn good reason. ;) But AAAAH thanks for the compliment! I'm really glad that that you enjoy my story; That's what I'm here for after all. ^_^ And likewise, I believe that Pokey and Ness were really friends at some point in the game; unfortunate circumstances drifted them apart. :(

ACK oh no, please don't cry *Offers you a tissue* Whelp here's your daily dose of angst. ;D Come back for more, O' valued customer!

**Guest:** Oh no, not you too! *Hands you tissue* wow the angst business is going so well like seriously, forget college I'll just live on the tears of crying reviewers hehe


	27. ARC IV: SMILES AND TEARS

**.**

_**~ARC IV: SMILES AND TEARS~**_

**.**

**PROLOGUE**

_**~Sacrifice~**_

_Dear Brother, do not despair._

_Against the wintry winds of turbulent night,_

_Open wide your royal arms,_

_Embrace the warmth of dying light._

_._

_Dear Brother, do not despair._

_Close your clouded eyes; clear your festering mind._

_Helpless slave of deceitful doubt,_

_To the truth you will be but blind._

_._

_Dear Brother, do not despair._

_Should the sky shine bloody-red and the stars all fall,_

_Renew thine brotherly strength,_

_Stand firm and tall._

_._

_Dear Brother, do not despair._

_Your sad tears like crystals slide._

_They carve in me a pain beyond pain,_

_And sear a sharper wound in my side._

_._

_Dear Brother, do not despair._

_If I should perish, _

_If I should part,_

_On a high note my heart restart._


	28. BuzzBuzz's Prophecy

Nightmares were a pain.

And sleep was a major bitch.

Frustrated, Claus punched his cotton pillow. It deflated sadly in response. Muttering a sullen curse under his breath, Claus shoved his disgruntled head into his pillow. Yet, restless blue eyes blinked, tortured by his brother's words.

_"Why is it only okay if you want to sacrifice yourself? Why won't you let me do the same for you, Claus?"_

Claus tried to imagine it. Helplessly watching as Giygas slowly throttled the life out of his younger brother, and Lucas meeting his own horrified gaze with betrayed, painfully overbright eyes...

_"If I were you, I wouldn't take another step. My finger might accidentally slip on the wrong button, and well...we wouldn't want anything tragic to happen to brother dearest, would we?"_

His eyes burst open. With a sharp intake of breath, Claus choked, trying to steady his own breaths, because why was _he_ so bothered over something so trivial when _Lucas_ wasn't? Lucas had been the one half-strangled to death, but he didn't seem too shaken about the entire ordeal.

If there was one thing Claus knew for sure, Lucas had remarkable mental fortitude. Lucas was strong.

Lucas didn't need him.

The truth hurt. In a way, a part of Claus _wanted_ Lucas to be dependent on him. It was selfish, but what could Claus say? He liked the feeling of being looked up to, liked the feeling of being admired_._ Claus was supposed to be the older brother, damn it - older brothers were _supposed_ to protect their siblings from scratches and bullies and tears.

But there were times when Claus wondered who was really doing the protecting. Because if Claus was supposed to be the older brother...then he sure as hell was doing an awful job of it.

Maybe BuzzBuzz was right.

He really was a pathetic piece of shit.

* * *

_**~ARC IV: SMILES AND TEARS~**_

* * *

"...It will happen?"

"It will happen."

"And there's no way to...?"

"No."

"Ah." Lucas quietly sat by the riverbank, dipping his legs into the cool water. The brook gurgled and sang around his bare feet. "Claus will not take it too well."

"I know. That's why I wanted to talk to you alone." Straining to keep his voice level, BuzzBuzz spoke, fixing his eyes on the rising horizon. It was too painful to turn around, to stare at the soft features he knew too well. But slowly, his gaze flickered down to the young adolescent beside him.

Lucas just had that effect on people, BuzzBuzz presumed. The blond looked like the quintessential younger brother: a strange innocence shone from his wide irises, yet those same innocent blues somehow told a story of hardship, of someone who had been forced to grow up too quickly. Now the fact that BuzzBuzz had to tell _him,_ the boy who had died so abruptly ten years ago, that his fate was death yet again seemed like a cruel joke.

"BuzzBuzz?"

"Ask away."

"What happened in your timeline?"

"That is not a topic up for discussion."

"We failed, didn't we?"

"..."

"How did you survive when Giygas destroyed the world?"

"Nobody knows except for the Dark Dragon himself. And...well, you, I guess. The alternate you from my timeline, I mean." BuzzBuzz comfortably settled himself onto Lucas's right shoulder, then fiddled around with his smoking jet pack. "The apocalypse was rough on all of us. It wiped out every single adult from the face of the planet."

"All the adults?" Lucas thought of his father disappearing into thin air. His stomach gave a nasty twinge. "Why?"

"No clue. Your guess is as good as mine."

"Then after I died...what happened to the others?"

"Lucas, you wouldn't want to know. It's not a happy ending. Knowing too much about the future, even about parallel time lines, is a bad thing."

Lucas stared at his hands. "I have a right to know what happened to my friends," he said quietly.

"Nothing will dissuade you otherwise?"

"No."

"If you insist..." BuzzBuzz winced. "Ten years ago, after we lost you to Giygas, Claus and Ness had a bad falling out. Unlike in your timeline, circumstances between them hadn't been so kind to begin with, and only got worse. Your death was the last straw. It was stupid, really, because your death hadn't been caused by either of them, but by the last member of their party; yet neither of his friends ever blamed him for what had happened - not even once. The apocalypse was rough on all of us. We were all that we had, and I...I'm sorry, Lucas, I should've been there for them; I should've checked up on Ness, should've helped Claus cope when I had the chance..."

"One morning, Claus left the refugee camp_._ He vanished without a trace. No note, no message - _nothing._ Shortly after he disappeared, Ness demanded to leave on a quest to avenge your death and bring Claus back. Paula, Poo, and Jeff refused to let him go alone, so they tagged along with him. I never saw any of them again." BuzzBuzz got a strange, faraway look in his eyes. "Who knows, maybe they had all been still alive when I left?"

"With his past expertise in PSI, Ninten became leader of the resistance. Wracked with terrible guilt, he searched in vain for a way to turn back the clock and set things right. It took ten years, but the solution finally presented itself in an unexpected illness: PSI fever. Apparently, I dis-...I mean, _he_ discovered 4th Dimension Slip, an ability that transverse through in time, and from there...well, you know the rest. Lucas, I wouldn't worry too much over it; the future has already been changed with me simply _existing_ in your timeline. _My_ future will never exist, and has never existed as far as anyone is ever concerned."

BuzzBuzz flickered in the sunlight, then solidified back with a hard cough. "Enough about the woes of the past. Weren't you always one of the last people to wake up in the morning? You'd always used to sleep in until late in the afternoon."

"Used to?"

"I mean, you still do...right?"

"Usually." A faint smile. "Sleepyheads wake up early too every now and then, you know."

"You look like you haven't been sleeping well."

"I don't think _anyone_ has been sleeping well," Lucas said dryly. "It's hard to sleep when the world is about to end."

"Something's keeping you awake. Is it Claus?"

Lucas shifted uncomfortably. "Partly. We don't usually fight that often..." BuzzBuzz looked horribly guilty, so Lucas quickly added, "But whenever we get into a disagreement, it doesn't last long! Claus just needs time to cool off."

"I was hoping that he wouldn't let out his frustration onto you." BuzzBuzz exhaled a breath. "I talked to him the other night and it sort of escalated."

"Yeah." Lucas watched a white mouse crawl out of the foliage. It intelligently twitched its ears once before scurrying off into the nearest trees. "Claus didn't admit it, but I could tell that whatever you said made him really upset."

Double whammy.

"He's a strong kid. I wouldn't have criticized him if I thought he couldn't stomach it," BuzzBuzz muttered before changing the subject. "But about what I've said about the Seventh Needle and the time-space distortion...none of that bothers you?"

"Kind of. Maybe a little." Lucas stared back at his reflection in the stream. Within its depths, something scaly flashed an emerald green, and Lucas pulled his legs out, watching a fishy tail peek out from underneath the cool mirror. "From what you've told me, if I've already died once to destroy the world...well...it shouldn't be too hard to die a second time to save it, would it? Because it has to be done..."

Pity for the boy squeezed his heart, and feeling his own throat close up, BuzzBuzz merely nodded, redirecting his gaze to the stream as well.

"I won't tell Claus."

BuzzBuzz blinked. "You...won't?"

Lucas laughed quietly. "You came to talk to me first, because you were afraid of how the others would take it. Don't worry; I won't tell them about my dea-...I'd rather them not know. And after what happened last night..." A pained look flickered across Lucas's face before it vanished. "I wouldn't want Claus to worry."

"It won't be easy. Giygas will do anything to turn you into his pawn. As far as _he_ knows, both you and your brother can use PK Love."

"That's unfortunate."

"Unless he specifically decides to target one of you, you're both in grave danger," BuzzBuzz warned. "Stick to your friends at all times, and keep a vigilant eye out for them too. Especially for your brother. Lord knows how reckless he can get. All right?"

"I will." Lucas met his eyes - a soft baby-blue that melted his heart. "BuzzBuzz?"

His throat dried up. "Yeah?"

"You seem to know me pretty well. Are you someone I know too?"

"Possibly."

"What's your real name?"

"What is a name? What is _in_ a name?" BuzzBuzz laughed without mirth. "My name...I haven't thought about my real name in ages. For the past ten years, it's always been Commander Nu this, or Commander Nu that. I've had other nicknames too...Teddy and Lloyd would tease me by calling me _BuzzBuzz_ for my stupid hair, and Ana would walk up to me and say-" BuzzBuzz flushed, then cleared his throat. "Believe me, Lucas. You're better off not knowing who I am."

Lucas laughed softly. "I'm surprised that no one else has figured it out. It's obvious, isn't it?"

Fiddling around with his now-sputtering jetpack engine, BuzzBuzz frowned. "Obvious?"

"All the drama, the hints, the spats you start with Claus...You've changed your name, yet in some ways, you've still stayed the same." Lucas returned to watching the river flow. "I've never met my alternate self, but if he was anything like me...I'm sure that he never would've blamed you for his death, Ninten."

With a sharp gasp of smoke, the jetpack sputtered back to life.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Hey."

"...Hey."

Heading off in the opposite direction, Ness paused, catching the other boy by the shoulder. "Claus, we all heard about what happened last night."

Blearily rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Claus shrugged the hand off. "Good to know," he muttered. "Must've been some five-star dinner entertainment for everybody, huh?"

_"Entertainment_ was the last word I had in mind," Ness said dryly. "Listen, I know Lucas came to talk to you later in the night. Did you push him away?"

"I was sleeping."

Ness rolled his eyes. "Of course you were. Anyways, I was kind of wondering...well...is Lucas an early riser?"

Claus looked at him weirdly. "No. He sleeps like the dickens. Why?"

"I figured. He was already up at the crack of dawn today. I have a feeling that he didn't get any sleep at all last night."

"...you've got to be kidding me."

"He's been fiddling around with the radio all morning. When I started talking, he _seemed_ okay, but you know..." Ness grimaced helplessly. "Lucas never really _talks._ Since you're up, you should check on him just to be sure."

Claus sighed. "Fine, I'll check on him. You go to the Hot Springs, or wherever you're headed."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Having you around won't exactly help my case."

Looking distinctly relieved, Ness nodded. "Let me know if I can help," he said, violet eyes flashing with concern before he walked off, trekking down the cobbled stone path.

Claus sighed, running a hand through his own hair. Last night was a mish-mash of weird nightmares and trippy dreams. Shortly after his disastrous audience with BuzzBuzz, Claus had soon headed towards the Hot Springs to "cool off." It was a strange sensation, sinking into the lukewarm water all by himself. Sometimes, he had caught himself about to speak, half-thinking that Lucas was next to him, but quickly clamped up when he remembered that Lucas had been left behind at the cottage.

But despite being tortured by his thoughts, Claus had accidentally fallen asleep in the heat of the soothing steam; next morning, he had been rudely awoken by someone splashing water onto his face.

"Do you always fall asleep in the bathtub?" Ninten had curiously asked, waving his hand over Claus's face.

With an incoherent grunt, Claus had reached out for a clean towel, then hobbled away on his wet, prune-like feet.

However, something about his own dreams troubled him. He felt distinctly dissatisfied, almost as if he was forgetting something important...but for all in the world, Claus couldn't put a finger on what it could be. Somehow, he knew that weird green water was involved, maybe along with something quite sharp and gold.

But after that particular nightmare, all Claus knew for certain was that he had to use the bathroom _real badly_.

Claus shook his head. Now wasn't the time to dawdle like a Dream Oracle. Lucas's well-being came first.

The journey back to the cottage didn't take long. When Claus finally arrived, carefully stepping over a stray Mr. Saturn or two, he found the cottage relatively empty. BuzzBuzz must be taking watch again, and the others were probably at the Hot Springs.

Lucas sat alone, curled up against the cold. The small radio was nestled in his hands, connected to the headphones on his ears. Swallowing hard in trepidation, Claus walked closer, traipsing across the soft, woolen carpet. Lucas still gave no sign of noticing him, so Claus gently bent over, sliding the headphones off from his ears.

Startled, Lucas jerked his head up, but his initial shock quickly faded into a bright grin. "Morning."

Eyeing the radio with fleeting curiosity, Claus shook the headphones. "What are you listening to?"

"_All by Myself__._"

"By Eric Carmen?"

Lucas nodded.

"Let me listen." In a deft motion, Claus fitted the headphones over his own ears. Sad piano notes dropped ahigh like cold rain, soon accompanied by a man's voice cracking with emotion. Claus winced, sliding the headphones off. "Why is this song so damn depressing?"

"I like the lyrics." Lucas offered him the radio console. "Want to sing along?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

Claus's face darkened. "I told you. I'm not singing."

Knowing better than to test his patience, Lucas quietly took the radio back. "It's a good song."

Staring at the ceiling, Claus sprawled onto his back. "It's too sad. Turn on something else."

"Like what?"

"_Sexyback._"

Lucas flushed a dark crimson, then shoved him aside. "I'm not singing that song."

"You totally should," Claus grinned, raising his hands in surrender. "Here, if you'll sing the lead, I'll try to make a convincing chorus-"

Lucas buried his face into his hands. "Oh my god, shut up-"

"-and you have to make it sound all seductive and shit like _this_," Claus continued, making stupid kissy-faces in his direction. "Ahhm bringin' shmexy bwaaak-"

"No!"

"Shmexy bwaak-"

"Eww, no-Stoppit!" Lucas burst into bright peals of laughter when Claus tickled him in the ribs, and taking the chance to cause more mischief, Claus lazily dangled the radio out of reach. Puffing up his cheeks, Lucas made a grab for it, but Claus smirked, yanking it far behind his back. "Claus, give back the radio! _Nooooo,_ I'm serious, I don't wanna listen to that song-"

"Hey, I'll have you know that Justin Timberlake is a true _classic-"_

But five minutes later, Claus listened as his brother fiddled with the radio, changing songs from track to track. Somewhere within the melancholic melody of _Without You _by Harry Nilsson, Claus had slung an arm around his brother's shoulders, drawing him close in a rare act of sentimentality. Without pausing to voice the somber lyrics under his tongue, Lucas mirrored the action. Lucas's fingernails dug into the crook of his neck, but Claus didn't mind, shifting into a more comfortable position for both of them.

Claus finally drew the courage to speak. "Lucas, look, about yesterday night..."

"It's okay," Lucas said softly. "A lot had happened, and well, you needed space. I needed space. I understand." Lucas shot him a concerned look. "Was BuzzBuzz really harsh on you?"

Claus grimaced. "I'm fine," he muttered, rubbing at his own shoulder. "I can take some criticism every now and then. Besides, I hate to admit it, but he had a good point."

"What did he want from you?"

"Didn't you hear him yelling his head off?"

"Kind of," Lucas admitted. "But no one could really make out any of the words."

"Oh." Claus visibly relaxed, exhaling a relieved sigh. "It's nothing important then," he announced, playfully poking Lucas in the ribs. "At least, it's nothing you should be worried about."

Lucas laughed, swatting his arm aside. "All right then. As long as you don't butt heads with BuzzBuzz again, I won't pry." He paused, looking rather forlornly out the window. "Do you think he's looking for us back home?"

"Who?"

"Dad."

Claus let out a contemptuous snort. "Are you kidding me? _No_."

Lucas's forehead creased into a frown of deep concern. "I hope he's eating all right...," he trailed off, eyes glazing over in thought. "The sandwiches we made him wouldn't have lasted a week..."

"That old crocker? Lucas, he's probably doing _fine_. Heck, I doubt he's even realized we've gone missing. _Wasted on his ass,_ more like." Scrunching his eyebrows in disgust, Claus let out a contemptuous snort. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's already busted his liver from drinking-"

"That's not funny," Lucas said quietly.

Claus fell silent. "You're right. It's not."

"I know you two don't get along, but he really does care for you inside." Lucas shifted a disappointed look onto his brother. "He just has a hard time expressing it. Like you."

Guilt prickling his conscience at the gentle rebuke, Claus tried to laugh it off, diverting Lucas's attention with a firm shake of the shoulder. "Cheer up. I was just kidding, you know. We'll see him soon. _A__nd_ Boney. _And_ a crap ton of missed physics homework."

"Don't say things like that. You'll jinx your luck."

"Are you still upset?"

"..."

"How much?"

"...A little."

Claus shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't actually mean it," he muttered, tapping his fingers in agitation.

Lucas's eyes softened. "I know."

There was an awkward silence, and Claus turned away, wishing he had kept his fat mouth shut again. But before Claus could rise, a firm grip on his arm tugged him back down.

"So...You were saying about Physics?" Lucas asked, looking at him expectantly.

Shaking his head, Claus shuffled his feet. "It's nothing," he grunted. "Just something stupid."

"I still want to hear it," Lucas pressed, blinking up in interest.

Taking that as a cue for forgiveness, Claus rolled his eyes and huffed in exasperation. "No, it's just..._physics! _You've seen Dr. Andonuts assign a shitload of homework every class. If we don't make it back soon, I'd be surprised if we aren't held back another year."

Oddly enough, Lucas didn't say anything in response.

Curious by his shift in demeanor, Claus faced him with a frown. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Lucas said rather quietly, picking at the carpet.

As Lucas shifted, the light caught his tired face, and Claus's frown deepened, eyeing the dark bags under his brother's haunted eyes. This was exactly what Ness had meant; any conversation with Lucas somehow ended up with them talking about their own problems instead.

But Claus wasn't planning to get distracted a second time. "Hey. What's up?"

"The ceiling."

"Nice try, but that's not what I'm talking about. You look..." Claus finally met his eyes. "Tired."

Lucas laughed. "Have you seen yourself lately?"

"Stop changing the subject, Lucas. Have you been getting nightmares again?"

"No."

"I beg to differ," Claus said dryly. There was a well-hidden misery underneath his brother's expression: Lucas's melancholy eyes seemed robbed of their usual vivid blue. "How bad are they getting?"

Lucas winced. "They're not that bad-"

"_Lucas_."

The younger twin relented. "Okay, they've been getting worse, but it's nothing I can't handle. I don't...I can take care of myself, Claus." As he spoke, Lucas gently shoved him aside, then pulled the headphones back over his ears. "Let's talk later. I need to practice my vocal chords. They're getting rusty."

Watching him tweak around with the glass dial of the radio, a stunned Claus sat in place, feeling like he was a trillion miles away. In fact, it almost felt like Lucas was purposely trying to put distance between them, something that clearly made no sense.

Something was definitely up.

Or perhaps he was over-reacting, and Lucas really wanted space.

Yet, the elder stubbornly persisted, closing in with outstretched fingers. Surprised, Lucas briefly looked up before Claus ripped the headphones away, flinging them onto the couch.

"Claus..." Exasperated, Lucas rose to retrieve them until Claus suddenly held him back. Confused by his unusual behavior, Lucas threw him a questioning look.

"Lucas, listen to me." Claus took a deep breath. "Even before all this craziness started, you've had trouble falling asleep. And I mean like, more than usual. You pulled another all-nighter again, haven't you?" When Lucas opened his mouth, Claus quickly cut across him. "Don't deny it. I've been meaning to talk to you about it."

"You worry too much," Lucas laughed, but for once, his laughter rubbed Claus off the wrong way. The elder twin grew irritated at the sound, feeling like his younger sibling wasn't taking his words seriously.

"_Lucas._"

"Okay, okay," Still grinning, Lucas held his hands up in surrender. "You can trust me to handle my "sleeping problems" on my own-"

"It's not a matter of trust. It's a matter of your _health,"_ Claus said flatly, feeling around for something on the couch. Guiding a pillow into his brother's fingers, Claus patted it into his chest. "If you're not going to talk about it, then I really want you to sleep."

"I don't wan-"

"Just try."

Lucas hesitated, shifting to meet his brother's unyielding gaze, then with a reluctant sigh, caved in, curling his shaky fingers around the pillow. Claus watched him intently, tensing up every time Lucas opened his eyes, but relaxed when the younger twin slowly curled up against the cushions and yielded to uncomfortable slumber. But his relief was for naught; after a few seconds, Lucas re-opened his eyes, this time looking rather green. Shaking his head, Lucas pushed himself back up.

Claus frowned. "Can't sleep?"

Eyes closed, Lucas nodded.

Feeling guilty for pushing him to his limits, Claus withdrew. "Lucas, what's the matter? Did something happen?" he said in an unusually soft tone. "Was it me? Did I do something wrong?"

Lucas scrunched his eyes shut. "It's not you, Claus. It's me..."

"I highly doubt that."

"Mm."

"You're impossible," Claus groaned, burying his face into his hands. "How am I supposed to help you if you won't even tell me what's wrong?"

"Claus, now isn't a good time to talk. I want some time alone-"

"So you can wallow in misery again for the next week or two? I don't think so." Frowning, Claus leaned closer, forcing his brother to flatten himself against the wall. "You're overthinking again. Take a break."

"Claus-"

_"Lucas,"_ Claus mocked in the same tone, crossing his arms.

Lucas's frown deepened. "Drop it. I'm not in the mood to humor you."

"Oh, really? Well, how do you think _I_ feel when you clam up like this?" Claus pressed, prodding Lucas in the chest. "Do you know how hard it is to look after you when you don't _SPEAK _to me about something? It drives me up the wall!"

Lucas's eyes turned to the ground. "Nobody said that you _had_ to look after me."

"AUUUUGH!" Claus nearly tore his own hair out in frustration. "Why do you have to be so STUBBORN?!"

"Claus, keep your voice down," Lucas said sharply. "You are causing a scene."

"SCREW THAT SHIT! DO YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT MAKING A SCENE?! THERE'S LITERALLY NOBODY HERE!"

"Everyone might be asleep-"

"EVERYONE WENT TO THE HOT SPRINGS!_"_ Claus let loose a bitter laugh. "It's always the same problem, isn't it?_ I'm_ trying to help _you_, but _you're_ too busy helping everyone else! Just stop. Drop everything for once, and take a good look at yourself." Blue eyes blazed in furious disbelief. "Geezus, you're barely even awake! You keep asking for time to think, but how can you think straight like _this?"_

"I can think perfectly fine-"

"Are you even _trying _to take me seriously? Oh, wait. That's right. You'd obviously care more about _YOUR FRIENDS __TRYING TO SLEEP _than _ME TRYING TO TALK TO YOU!"_

Lucas looked hurt. "What makes you think that I _don't_ care about you?"

"Well, you never show it!" Claus dug in savagely, trying to mask his own hurt. "Are all younger brothers this _annoying?!"_

"Annoying?!" Lucas burst out, clenching his fists. "Why are you so _overprotective_?!"

"Well, gee! I don't know!" Claus said sarcastically, jabbing a finger into his direction. "_GROW THE FUCK UP, LUCAS._ Maybe if you weren't such a big_ coward_, I wouldn't have to step in for you all the time!"

The sound of shattering glass hit their ears.

Lucas froze, holding the broken remnants of the radio dial which fizzled weakly in his fingers. With every passing second, he paled, turning a shade of bloodless white. All too late, Claus realized that he had made a terrible mistake, but before he could say any more, Lucas had abruptly risen to his feet, sweeping away in eerie silence.

"Ah, fuck." Cursing under his breath, Claus struggled to keep up. "Lucas, wait! I didn't mean to say-"

"Didn't mean to say _what_?" Lucas said in an icy whisper, fixing him with the full force of his hard gaze. "To call me COWARD? Why deny it, Claus, if it's the truth?" Tears quickly started to well up Lucas's eyes. "What's the point in hiding something that you're finally honest about?"

"Oh, geez, Lucas, I..." Claus gripped his own hair in distress. "I screwed up. I'm sorry-"

"I'm going to the Hot Springs."

Claus blanched. "Lucas, don't be like this-"

"Don't follow me."

"Lucas-"

"Goodbye, Claus."

Knowing a sinking ship when he saw one, Claus jumped the gun. Desperation fueled his head like an adrenaline rush, and he wildly sprinted forward, skidding out front to block Lucas's way with both arms. "NO."

Lucas's flare of anger dissolved into barely-restrained disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"You're not going anywhere until you hear what I have to say."

There was a pause as both twins appraised each other. Suddenly, Lucas made a dash for it, bolting around him to the left, but anticipating the move, Claus had already dived forward, wrestling him to the ground. Tufts of snow flew in their wake, slapping against their skin.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you _think_ I'm doing?!"

"Get. Off."

"Like heck I will!"

"Claus, you're being...ridi...culous..." Panting, Lucas tried to push him off, but Claus refused to budge, using his legs to weigh him down. Lowering his head against a snowdrift in defeat, Lucas quivered, sputtering into a dry sob. "Why can't you leave me alone...?"

"Because I'm the evil twin."

"I hate you."

"Good, because I hate you too."

"You...not going to listen..." Looking like he was going to cry, hit him, or do both, Lucas forced the words out through trembling lips, eyelashes coated with a shivering film of tears. He clenched his fists and pounded them into the snow. "I hate you. I hate you, Claus! You never listen to what I have to say, because it's always about how _you_ feel all the time, isn't it?"

Hurt stabbed Claus deeply like an icy dagger plunging into his heart. "Well, what am I supposed to do?! Watch you overthink until you burn yourself out?" Claus said, struggling to restrain him. "See, this is why I can't leave you out on your own! Not because you're a coward, not because I don't trust you, but because you're too damn _delicate _for your own good!"

"I'm not delicate!" Lucas snapped, throwing him an icy glare that was somewhat diminished by the fact that he was flattened against the ground.

"You _are_ delicate. You're _supposed_ to be delicate, damn it. You're my little brother!"

"I'm your twin."

_"Younger_ twin. Like it or not, Lucas, you're still my lil' bro. Come on, don't do this to me," Claus begged. "I'm supposed to look after you."

"We're supposed to look after _each other."_

"I don't get it! Why can't you let me do this for you?" When Lucas didn't respond, Claus swallowed hard. "Yeah, I know. I fucked up big time. I wasn't thinking when I called you a coward, and...and I'm sorry."

"I'm glad to hear that you're _sorry."_

"Stop twisting my words around! I really didn't mean to say it like that, Lucas!"

Lucas closed his eyes. "Don't be sorry. Why apologize if it's the truth?"

He had spoken in that sad, quiet tone Claus knew all too well - it was the tone Lucas rarely used whenever he was extremely angry or upset. Icy blue eyes flashed, resembling twin lakes of brimming moisture. The silence was so overbearing that Claus blinked, swallowing down the lump in his throat and trying to ignore the empty, tight feeling in his aching chest.

What a terrible feeling it was too.

"...Last night, you wanted us to leave you behind," Claus mumbled, scratching at the dirt with his fingernails. "If I left you behind...then what was I supposed to do back in the city? Twiddle my thumbs and wait for you to save the world? Tell dad that I abandoned you on a mountain miles away from home? Dig another grave for you next to mom a-and cry my eyes out if you don't return?" Pure anguish seeped into Claus's eyes, bright and full of pain, but as if by storm, they were quickly extinguished. Claus exhaled loudly, then lowered his head, clenching his fists so hard that they turned a pale alabaster.

"Is that what you really want, Lucas? Do you really want me _not_ to care?"

Lucas said nothing.

"I know. Sometimes, I can get too over protective for my own good...but if you get hurt because I wasn't there to help you, then I...I can't..." Claus deeply breathed in, then scrunched his eyes shut. "Look, Lucas. For better or worse, we're stuck together. You know I'm going to end up worrying my sorry head over you, so just accept the goddamn fact and let me in!"

His younger brother opened his mouth, then trembling, closed it. Fighting back tears, Lucas was shaking so hard that he was almost vibrating in place, clenching his jaw and gripping his knuckles in an unseen struggle.

"Claus..."

Tear drops fell from his cheeks, painting small dots into the snow. Lucas choked, trying to keep everything in, but one tear led to two, then three, then dissolved into a rain of sadness. Burying his wet eyes into shaking hands, Lucas sank deeper into the snow in a quiet sob. There was no way he could tell Claus about his imminent death; the truth would cause Claus too much pain.

It would break him.

"I can't...I can't tell you..."

"Yes, you can," Claus said in an uncharacteristically gentle, yet firm tone. "If you've managed to put up with me for the past thirteen years, then you're brave enough to tell me anything."

There was a pause as Lucas took shallow breaths, scrambling to compose his thoughts. Claus waited patiently, easing up the pressure on his back, and Lucas wiped his eyes, settling for the lesser of two truths.

"For the past few weeks, I've been having nightmares about you...well...dying." Cheeks burning hot with embarrassment, Lucas snapped his mouth shut in growing mortification, realizing how extremely childish and stupid his words sounded. But when Claus didn't speak, falling unusually silent, Lucas averted his eyes back to the ground. "I know, it's silly, but with mom already gone, and you here...it kind of made me wonder...what if my dreams turn real? You could die because you refused to turn me in, and I can't risk that..." Lucas sank deeper into the snow. "I don't want to lose you again."

Explosive anger quickly extinguished, Claus watched his twin with an uncomfortable expression on his face. The elder twin shifted over, wordlessly patting snow off his brother's clothes, then hesitantly rested a hand on his shoulder. When Lucas didn't shrug it off, Claus knelt down beside him.

"Lucas..."

Shaking his head, his younger brother clapped his hands over his eyes, then turned away.

Unsure of what to do, Claus hesitated, hand hovering in mid-air. "I'm...I didn't know..."

"Please, Claus," Lucas said, shoulders shaking. "Just go."

Claus gulped. Heart torn into two, he pawed at the snow, miserably tracing patterns into damp frost. Hearing Lucas cry was bad enough, but this...Claus had caused this. He had pushed Lucas to his limits.

His younger brother was hurting because of _him._

Tenderly, Claus reached out, cupping both cheeks with warm hands, and gently brushed a droplet aside with his thumb.

"Lucas, I...I'm sorry, I didn't know you were under so much pressure. You know I have a crappy temper, and well...I'm trying, I really am. And you're right. You've always been right, and...and I was wrong, I swear, we'll look after each other, just like you said. So don't dwell over it. It was just a nightmare, a big, stupid nightmare that won't ever happen, and I'll be extra careful, and..." Torn and lost for words, Claus didn't seem to know what to say, petering off into uncomfortable silence. "Please, don't cry..."

For a shivering second, Claus was afraid that Lucas was going to brush him off.

But to his relief, Lucas did none of the sort, and instead, quietly lifted off the hand cupping his cheek. "I'm...I'm not crying..."

"What's this, then? A rock?" Claus touched another tear droplet, and Lucas buried his face in his hands.

"Tears of h-happiness."

Claus sighed. "Don't be ridiculous."

Lucas hiccuped. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"About earlier, I don't really hate you, it just...and I-"

"I know. It's okay." Claus smirked, opening his arms wide. "What do you think brothers are for, you big goof?"

Lucas choked, diving forward to wrap his arms around his neck, and Claus tightly squeezed him in a bone-crushing hug, taking the opportunity to give him a rough noogie or two.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

"You're an idiot," Claus sighed, trapping him in a tight headlock. "Did you think I was going to make fun of you? Yeah, okay, maybe I do, but I'd never tease you over your nightmares," he added fiercely, swiping his finger over his ribs. "Cross my heart and hope to...uh, not die."

Embarrassed, his younger brother nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes with a hasty sleeve. "A-And...you don't have a crappy temper either..." Claus arched an eyebrow skeptically in response, and Lucas let out a quiet laugh. "All right, maybe you do."

"Thanks," Claus said dryly. "I'm flattered by the compliment."

"You should be. Not many people have a temper that can rival yours."

"Now you're just messing with me."

Lucas sneezed.

Wrapping an arm around his shivering shoulders, Claus guiltily steered him upright, trying to warm his twin up. "C'mon, let's head back inside. You're freezing."

"...Claus?"

"Yeah?"

Rosy-cheeked from cold, Lucas let out a soft laugh, peering up at him with happiness-brimming eyes. "I love you."

Claus wrinkled his nose. "Ewwww."

"I love you, Claus. I love you so much."

"Sappy much? Who are you, and what have you done to my brother?"

Rubbing the moisture away from his eyes, Lucas shyly beamed, bumping into his shoulder. Torn between keeping his cool attitude and humoring his younger brother, Claus grumbled, puffing up his cheeks in sheer indignation. But he finally relented, awkwardly allowing Lucas to nestle his chin into the crook of his shoulder. Claus shivered, feeling his brother's tears pool up into the hollow dip of his collarbone.

"Yeah, whatever," Claus mumbled. "You're still annoying."

The next second, Claus took those words back because Lucas had decided it was a great idea to dump a WHOLE FRICKIN' SHEET OF SNOW down his neck. With a rather undignified yell, Claus stumbled backwards, sprawling right onto his rear. "You...You didn't just-"

"Catch you later, _brother_." As if he had never cried at all, Lucas doubled over with chiming laughter, and sped off as fast as his legs would carry him.

Watching his brother _book it,_ Claus sat up, spitting snow chunks out of his mouth. He fisted the air, letting loose a vengeful howl of fury. "YOU TWAT! STOP RIGHT THERE! OH MY GOD, LUCAS, WHEN I CATCH YOU, YOU ARE _SO_ DEAD-"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"So you're telling us-"

"Correct."

"And it's under New Pork City?"

"Yes. The journey will take three days on foot. We will be leaving after two more days of rest and recovery. You know, Ninten, I'm quite surprised that you're up and about after that nasty sickness."

"It's nothing I can't handle. But wait, so you're saying that Lucas has pull the Seventh Needle?! What about Claus?!"

Under Ninten's incredulous interrogation, BuzzBuzz paused, flitting a glance to his left. The still-silent Claus slowly met his gaze, but as if remembering their heated conversation last night, the elder twin turned away, helping himself to another serving of steaming Jumbo Shrimp Soup.

Clearing his throat rather loudly to cover up the awkward moment, BuzzBuzz continued. "While Claus does have the...potential...to pull the Seventh Needle, Lucas is currently the only one with PK Love under his arsenal. This is why we agreed that he should be responsible for summoning the Dark Dragon."

Looking rather queasy, Claus kept his eyes fixed on the table. "You're basically asking him to save the world."

"Essentially, yes."

"I still think that you've got the wrong person," Lucas added quietly.

"Yeah, I think so too," Claus smirked, poking him by the shoulder. "Lucas isn't exactly made of _world-saving_ material. But hey, don't you worry your big head, _little brother._ If I learn PK Love in time, then I can pull the Needle for you-"

Lucas choked on his water. "NO!"

Luckily, Claus mistook his brother's terror as desperation to prove himself, and grinning, Claus ruffled his hair. "Chill out, Lucas. I promise I won't steal your thunder."

Chewing on his food, Ninten poked his chopsticks in their direction. "Well, _technically, _you know PK Thunder-"

Instantly, the smile vanished from Claus's face. "Ninten, _no._"

"Ninten, _yes_."

Claus furiously scrabbled across the table. "Why I oughta-"

"They're at it again," Ness whispered, rolling his eyes, and Lucas stifled a grin of his own.

BuzzBuzz let out a bark of laughter, a sound that rippled with an undercurrent of sadness. "You won't be alone, Lucas. You have your friends," he indicated with his head. "And your brother, all of whom will be at your side."

"So once Lucas pulls the Seventh Needle, everything will turn back to normal?" Claus asked, finally breaking out of the spat. "No more running for our lives and hopping over mountains - we can _finally_ get on with our lives and earn our Happily Ever After?"

Strangely enough, BuzzBuzz's brown eyes flickered away from his. A weird muscle ticked in his jaw as if the man was chewing on something rather unpleasant, but they must've been mistaken, because BuzzBuzz finally swallowed down his morsel of shrimp. "Yes."

Claus relaxed. His concerns satisfied, he instinctively turned towards his brother.

A good thing he did too. Lucas had yet to touch his food, and it was a bad habit Claus knew all too well whenever the younger twin was upset or highly stressed. Often times, Lucas would purposely end up skipping all his meals before a concert or two, and Claus would have to wheedle him to eat so that his younger brother wouldn't faint of dehydration on stage.

With a clink of wooden chopsticks, Claus deftly picked out some Grilled Fish and neatly deposited it on his brother's rice.

"Eat up, goofball. You have a whole frickin' world to save."

Lucas let out a soft smile, then pushed the bowl aside. "Thanks, but-"

"No buts! I'd better see you eat, or else I'm not letting you go anywhere!" Claus threatened sternly. "It's your choice: either you eat your dirt, or I'm force-feeding it to you."

"Claus-"

"Eat. The fish."

Lucas gave him a stubborn look, then proceeded to ignore him as Ninten initiated yet another conversation with BuzzBuzz.

Not one to be deterred, Claus changed tactics, playfully stepping on his brother's shoe.

Eeping loudly, Lucas jumped, retracting his trodden foot. "What are you doing?"

"Uh, I don't know." Claus looked smug-faced. "Playing footsie?"

Claus's shoe brushed against his again, and Lucas scooted away. "Quit it," he hissed.

"You quit it, quitter!"

Lucas threw him an exasperated pout, then childishly crossed his arms and kicked his feet from underneath his chair. "I want to be excused."

"Excuse _you."_

"Claus, give it a rest. I'm trying to listen to what BuzzBuzz has to say, and you should too-"

"But he's _boring_. I wanna talk to youuuu," Claus moaned sadly, shoving his face in close quarters. He felt an surge of evil pleasure when Lucas flustered, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"What are you- _Stoppit! _Everybody's staring-"

"Aw, look at you worrying your pretty little head over nothing!" Claus smirked, raising an arm to ruffle his hair, and Lucas ducked to avoid the hand.

"Stop teasing me!"

"Is there a problem?" BuzzBuzz interrupted, breaking away from his speech.

Both twins scrambled back into their seats, each wearing nonidentical expressions to everyone's collective amusement: Lucas looked absolutely mortified beyond his wits while Claus looked like he was ready to undergo the World's first laughter therapy.

"S-Sorry," Lucas stammered, a beat-red flush creeping down his neck. "We were...I-I mean, I'm just...really hungry."

Claus broke out into one of the biggest smiles Lucas had seen since they had left home. "You're such a dork," he proclaimed, happily swatting Lucas upside the head. "What kind of excuse is that?!"

Rolling his eyes, Lucas picked up the crunchy piece of grilled fish with his chopsticks. Dipping it in soy sauce, he began to nibble at it, much to Claus's unrestrained delight. "Once you get back home, I'm reporting you for child abuse."

"Good boy," Claus said sarcastically, successfully ruffling up Lucas's hair, and Lucas giggled, swatting his arm away.

"Stop it! That tickles!"

"Not my problem."

"Jerk."

"Loser."

Lucas lunged forward, nabbing a small piece of shrimp off from Claus's plate and swallowing it whole.

"Hey! That was mine!"

"Says who?" Lucas said, eyes glittering in silent mischief.

Claus huffed. "Oh yeah? Well, what if I steal YOUR food like THIS-"

_**CLINK.**_

"Damn it, Lucas!"

Said twin grinned, blocking Claus's advances with his own chopsticks. "What's the matter?" he teased, blocking his older brother yet again with another skillful swipe of his utensils. "Forgot how to eat?"

"THAT'S IT." Hurling his chopsticks onto the table, Claus launched himself sideways onto his laughing brother, pinning him by the shoulders and wrestling him under the table in a messy tumble. "No one steals my food and gets away with it. _Especially not my own twin!_"

"Ladies, please," Ninten said pompously. "Control yourselves."

"Control your face!" Claus yelled back before Lucas pulled him back into the fray.

At the immature comeback, Ness laughed. "Oh snap, son. You got _told."_

"Dick." Ninten rolled his eyes. "Claus, on the bright side, at least you _know_ how to eat with chopsticks. There are some people in the world who are too uncultured to-"

"Shut up, Ninten," Ness said sullenly, stabbing his food. A piece of shrimp drooped sadly from the end of his stick. "My dad works for a _BURGER_ company. Your dad is a friggin' _defense_ _attorney."_

"So?"

"Didn't your parents teach you silverware etiquette when you were five?"

Ninten rolled his eyes. "That was only because they were _obsessed_ with being all "prim" and "proper." Trust me, when your dad starts dragging you along to all his boring dinners with his clients, he kinda expects you to behave the same way." With the sarcastic tilt of his head, Ninten exaggerated a posh British accent. "More tea, Mrs. Poppington?"

"No thank you, m'lady," Ness sniggered, earning a well-deserved punch in the shoulder.

Finally subduing Lucas from under the table, Claus smirked, popping his head up at that exact moment. "Ness can't use chopsticks?"

Ness flushed. "Shut your mouth."

Of course, Claus wasn't one to let such a golden opportunity go to waste. "Hah!" he crowed, milking out the moment. "What a loser-"

"Oh my god, _shut up_, Claus," Ness hissed, shooting him the meanest death-glare he could muster.

"I was wondering why you were slurping down your Lifenoodles at the cave _with your bare hands_-"

Thankfully, Lucas struggled out from under the table in time to intercept, shooting Claus an equally nasty glower. "Cheater. You used your powers."

Claus smirked. "All's fair in Food and War, dear brother."

"That was a reckless move on your part." At BuzzBuzz's rebuke, Claus stiffened; his smile quickly faded. The fairy-man sent him a look of disapproval. "Until you have full control over your emotions, any form of telekinesis is dangerous, not only to you, but also to other people."

Claus opened his mouth to retort, but stopped when he felt a gentle hand rest on his shoulder.

_Don't let him get to you, _Lucas said quietly. _He's only looking out for your best interests._

Breathing in, Claus calmed himself down and sank down into his chair. "I can control my emotions."

"To a small degree."

The room began to fizzle and pop with the smell of burning ozone.

"Here we go again," Ness muttered.

Claus bolted upright. Blue electricity fizzled and sparked around his fingers in a stormy cocoon. "Who are you to understand how I feel?" he asked, voice trembling with anger. "Do you have some personal vendetta against me? Like, why are you always picking on me?!"

For someone a thousandth of his size, BuzzBuzz looked impressively unfazed. "I'm not picking on you. I'm telling you a fact. How long do you think it took _me_ to master my own powers? How long do you think it took Ness? You are but a mere fledgling. It doesn't help that your powers stem directly from the mind AND heart. Your psychic powers, NOT JUST PK LOVE, are twice as easy to lose control of in the heat of emotion."

"And I _said_ that I can control my emotions!"

"Then it's settled." BuzzBuzz flitted to his face. "I want to see you fight."

_Claus,_ Lucas tried to intervene._ Please don't say-_

"You want to see me fight?! OH, IT'S _ON!"_

Lucas buried his face into his hands.

In a surprising display of energy, Ness suddenly slammed his palms against the table. "Guys, let's be reasonable," he said sharply, revolving his head back and forth between the elder twin and the time traveler. "There's no need to fight over this."

"Hell yes, there is," Claus cut in, glaring daggers at his adversary. "Let's take this outside. I've had enough of enduring your crap-"

BuzzBuzz met his glare square in the face. "Not against me. Against your brother."

Claus froze. "...What?"

The twins exchanged alarmed looks.

Noticing Lucas's equally shocked expression, BuzzBuzz's brown eyes melted by a fraction. "I've been meaning to teach you all some useful combat skills in the short time we have left," BuzzBuzz sighed, running a tiny hand through his helmet. "This is as good a time to start if anything."

"No, no, no, no. Hold on!" Claus blurted out, looking annoyed. "Why aren't _you_ fighting me?"

"Because if you haven't noticed, Claus, I've been shrunk to the size of a bee!" BuzzBuzz flared up. "Besides, you won't only be fighting against your brother. Everyone will be matched up against each other in an orderly fashion."

Ness narrowed his eyes. "How do we know that you're not weakening us for an ambush?"

"And...the trust issue. Right. Yeah, I _could_ tell you my real identity if I wanted to, but I _won't._ Telling you who I am would only complicate my mission."

"More like a mission to double-cross us," Claus muttered.

"That's the best explanation I can give. Take it or leave it," BuzzBuzz said, crossing his arms. "And as much of a pro I am at kicking ass, I've turned a bit squishable if you haven't noticed."

"Guys," Lucas mumbled, drawing all eyes to him. "I trust him."

As if on cue, Ninten made a move, dabbing his mouth with a napkin and gracefully rising up. "I trust him too," he said suddenly. Noticing their incredulous expressions, Ninten shot them all a sincere smile. "Anyone who likes puns is trustworthy. My sixth sense says so."

Claus rolled his eyes. "Right. I forgot about your _lack of common sense_."

Ninten grinned. "That's the one. Now who's with me?"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"No items, free for all. Any contestant can forfeit the match at any time. Surrendering or stepping over the boundary lines will automatically count as a loss."

"What boundary lines?" Claus demanded.

Gripping his fists, Ness's eyes flashed a deep, starry violet. "PK Fire!"

Magical purple flames ate through dead dirt, boxing its two opponents in before extinguishing themselves, carving deep burn marks into the soil. Ness appraised both opposing parties with a look. "These boundary lines."

"Oh."

"All attacks will be contained at the Alpha level. Any further may lead to fatal injury, and we _will_ jump in if you go overboard. Are we clear?"

"...Is this really necessary?" Lucas said meekly, silently pleading at Ness from the other side of the field. Wincing, the hatted boy helplessly shrugged back.

"That's exactly my question," Claus added, looking equally uncertain about the prospect of fighting his own brother.

"To learn how to work in a team, you have to become familiar with each of your fighting styles..._including_ your brother's," BuzzBuzz interrupted. "This is for your own good."

"Then why can't I fight Ness or Ninten first?" Claus scowled at the sidelines, and Ninten sheepishly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

BuzzBuzz crossed his arms. "We've already warmed up with you for the past hour. That should be sufficient practice for an even match. While I'm impressed that both of you aren't spewing powers all over the place, to be frankly put, the two of you are still complete newbs."

"Gee, thanks."

"You're improving rapidly. I wouldn't put it past either of you to take any of us down."

Claus paused, taken aback by the compliment. "...Oh. Uh, thank you?"

BuzzBuzz scowled. "Don't get lenient."

There it was again. Claus rolled his eyes, then steadied himself for the incoming match.

_Three_.

_Two_.

_On._

"Begin!" Ness yanking his arm down.

Claus reluctantly looked up, and Lucas instantly tensed, waiting for him to make the first move. Yet neither of them acted; for the next five minutes, the makeshift arena was filled with nothing but awkward silence.

Finally, Claus took the initiative and lunged. Blue ozone crackling each time his feet made contact with the dirt, Claus furrowed his brows and shot forth a dazzling strike of azure sparks. "PK Thunder!"

Surprised out of his wits, Lucas flinched away from the bolt with a shriek of alarm.

Claus halted in horror. Instinctively, his feet raced forward. "LUCAS! Are you okay?"

His face a beet red, Lucas picked himself up. He sheepishly rubbed his head. "Yeah. You just caught me off-guard."

Impatient, Claus stomped a foot. "Why did you scream?"

"I...I don't know..."

"I thought you were going to fight back, dummy!"

"Sorry."

"Oh, who am I kidding. Lucas, I'm sorry. I should've-"

"No, I'm sorry-"

_"Stop apologizing and get on with the program!_" BuzzBuzz roared. "In a serious battle, your opponents won't apologize. THEY. WILL. HURT. YOU!"

Jumping up in shock, Lucas clapped his hands, conjuring a glittering PSI Shield, only to be shattered when Claus thrust out another PK Thunder. Again, Lucas repeated the process, summoning psychic barrier after psychic barrier as Claus knocked each one down, one after the other.

BuzzBuzz slapped a hand over his face. "Lucas, only shield when necessary! Lugging that giant hamster-ball around costs you speed and energy for other strategies you could be using! And Claus, your attack speed is just as fast as my great grandma on a broken-down tricycle!"

Trying not to shield _too much_ forced Lucas not to shield at all, and giving up on shielding altogether, Lucas ended up tearing across the field, screaming his life out as Claus chased after him in reckless pursuit. Cackling like a kleptomaniac, Claus shot out several more lightning bolts in rapid succession, each one _just_ _happening_ to miss his brother by a mile.

In short, it was a pathetic sight.

"This isn't going to work," Ninten finally said, laughing under his breath when Claus performed a slow, pitiful excuse of a tackle that missed Lucas by a whole three meters.

BuzzBuzz pinched the bridge of his nose. "I should've seen this coming."

"We've seen them fight for real before. They're amazingly capable for first-timers." Ness watched both twins, who, unable to keep straight faces at this point, promptly broke out laughing into the dirt. "They just need the incentive. Claus has a point. You should've paired them up against one of us."

"I guess you're right. Plan B, it is." BuzzBuzz shot them both a look. "Ness, Ninten."

Ness nodded, hands bursting into violet flames.

Ninten winked once at his fellow teammate before jumping into the arena. "INTERCEPTION!" he yelled, cutting through the air with a spiraling aerial kick that slammed Lucas between the shoulderblades.

"What the-" Claus managed to blurt out before an incoming fireball knocked the wind out of his stomach. Spitting out dirt, Claus popped his head back up, only to see Ness gazing down at him with unforgiving eyes. Glaring back, Claus scrambled sideways, bumping back-to-back into his brother.

"I th-thought this was supposed to be a one-on-one!" Lucas stammered.

"Not anymore." With a wide smirk, Ness lunged forward, delivering another sweeping kick that Lucas avoided in the nick of time.

Claus did not take too kindly to this action. "STOP GANGING UP ON MY BROTHER!" he snarled, flying forward to kick Ness in the shins. But unlike their previous tussle in the snow, Claus had not expected Ness to be so quick. With a quick grin, Ness twisted out of sight, and materialized behind him in the blink of an eye. Igniting his hand in a quick swipe, Ness closed in for a blazing punch-

"PK Shield!"

Upon Lucas's cry, Claus flinched, hearing Ness's hand rebound off the well-timed bubble of PSI in a sharp _clang_. Catching Ness off-guard, Lucas took the opportunity to tackle the capped boy to the side. But Lucas had clearly underestimated Ness's strength; as soon as Ness's back skidded against the dirt, the capped boy wasted no time to wrap his legs around Lucas's torso. Despite his clear height disadvantage, Ness let loose a loud yell, then flipped over,judo- slamming Lucas into the dirt. Badly winded, the impact left Lucas gasping for breath, and taking advantage of his disorientation, Ness wrestled him down, pinning his wrists to his sides.

Laughing violet eyes looked down into indignant blue. "...Hi."

Lucas sighed, not bothering to try pushing the stronger boy off. "Why can't you go easy on us?"

Pulling back a sparking hand, Ness twisted his grin into an evil smirk. "Because you're my best friend. Any last words?"

"What?! Wait, no-!"

Lucas gasped, doubling over as Ness struck him hard in the solar plexus with the palm of his hand. The mediocre blow was more pressure than pain, pushing all the air out of his lungs, but from the point of impact, violet sparks flew, sinking into muscle and bone, and under its tickling sensation, Lucas twitched, shuddering erratically from its effects-

Letting loose a draconian snarl, Claus surged forward, only to slam into another psychic shield. Rubbing his sore nose at the unexpected impact, Claus staggered backwards. "What the-"

With Claus distracted, Ninten quickly seized his chance to shine. "Defense down! Defense down! Defense dow-"

"DAMN IT, NINTEN!" Claus roared, finally breaking down Ninten's shield. "STOP SPAMMING DEFENSE DOWN!"

Ninten blew him a raspberry. "What are you going to do about it? _Screech_ at me?" he taunted, cracking up when Claus shot another PK Thunder in his direction and beautifully missed.

_Fucking Ninten and his Pokemon puns!_

_...This isn't working,_ Lucas said unnecessarily, sliding face-up to a halt at Claus's feet. His limbs spasmed, a noticeable aftereffect of Ness's PK Paralysis. _We need a plan._

_Tell me about it. _Claus clenched his teeth as Ninten issued a LifeUp to Ness. _They're no slackers in teamwork._

_They've known each other for a while._

_But not as long as we have. _Claus glanced down at his brother. _They know that they can't take us out when we work together. That means-_

_They're trying to separate us._

_Like heck they will._ Claus issued a LifeUp and PK Healing of his own, healing Lucas's paralysis and boosting their health. _Ness is __the bigger threat. With all those assist buffs and offensive PSI, he's literally a massive tank. If we want MR. DEFENSE DOWN on his own-_

_Then we have to blast Ness out of the ring first, _Lucas finished, throwing Claus a side-glance. On the other side of the field, they could see Ness lunging forward, leaving Ninten away by a considerable distance - far enough to be in range of any extra stat boosts, yet close enough to offer help to the Podunk teen.

_He's trying to sandwich us in the middle of the arena, _Lucas realized.

Claus narrowed his eyes at the incoming arrival._ Then let him._

Closing in between the gap, Ness dived forward, blasting a PK Rockin' that forced the twins to separate. Jazzy eighth notes crashed into the ground in heavy syllables, and as the fluorescent treble clef slammed an inch away from his toe, Claus stumbled, pretending to lose his balance. Smirking, Ness turned around, lunging right at the ginger to finish the job-

And to Ness's surprise, Claus rolled _underneath_ him as Lucas shoved himself in the way, shooting out a stunning PK Flash that directly seared Ness's eyeballs. Caught by sheer surprise, Ness gasped, dropping to the ground to claw at his face in pain. "OW! YOU CAN USE PK FLASH?!"

Lucas gave a sheepish grin. "I guess so," he affirmed, letting loose a PK Love that blasted Ness into the air.

_Claus!_

_Got it. _

Without thinking, Claus followed up the attack, his entire heel glowing with fluorescent-blue electricity. Charging up like a full battery, Claus kicked off the dirt, sending off a furious trail of hot sparks from his body. "Haaah!" he yelled, spinning around to slam the flat of his foot straight into Ness's back.

OHKO.

With a noisy _crack_ of thunder, branches of lightning coursed through Ness's body. The impact sent his jittering form plowing straight into the soil, and skidding to a halt outside the ring, Ness let out a strangled groan, painfully sitting upright to shake his poor retinas free of the epileptic lightshow. "That was unexpected..."

"A win is still a win," BuzzBuzz said, allowing himself a small smile. "Ness is out!"

"WHAT?!" With a yelp, Ninten stepped back when Claus advanced towards him like a hungry wildcat. "NESS, YOU TRAITOR!"

"I DID ALL THE DIRTY WORK, YOU ASSIST SPAMMER!"

"You heard him." Claus narrowed his eyes. "TWO against ONE, Lawyer Boy. Don't even _think_ about spamming."

"I can do anything I want." Ninten flashed his teeth like a vampire, then with a cocky air, pulled an eyelid down in a mocking taunt. "Defense Dow-"

Claus quickly interrupted him by jabbing a fist towards his chest, and laughing, Ninten danced around to parry the blow. Gripping a startled Claus by the wrists, Ninten twisted back, managing to hurl the taller boy onto the ground. Grunting as the wind escaped his lungs for the second time that day, Claus rolled again as Ninten advanced, only for the latter to fall back from a flurry of beautiful blue hexagons.

PK Love.

"Your opponent's over here!" Lucas yelled, charging up his hands.

Ninten flashed his teeth in a wide grin. "About time."

Another wave of glowing blue. Awed by the sight, Claus tentatively reached out, catching a stray hexagon in his fingers, where it exploded against his skin like sparkling pixie-dust. Liquid adrenaline laughed through his veins.

Was this another effect of PK Love? Instilling hope in its allies while striking despair into the hearts of its enemies?

It seemed like it. A strange weight seemed to cling onto Ninten's features, and the boy grimaced, struggling to cast his next spell.

And if Giygas ever got a hold of this power...

If he ever got a hold of Lucas again...

_"We wouldn't want anything tragic to happen to brother dearest, would we?"_

Pinwheeling back to the present, Claus froze. Ozone began to pop and crackle in his ears.

"Claus...?" Lucas interrupted, clumsily blocking all of Ninten's blows with his arms. "What's wrong?"

Catching wind that something wasn't quite right, Ninten instantly lowered his guard. Good sportsmanship came first, and he held back his attacks, eyeing Claus's palms with a wary expression. "Claus, I think we've had enough for today. Let's take a break, all right?"

Steadying his shaking hands, Claus shook his head. "I don't need a break."

BuzzBuzz frowned. "Claus, step out of the ring."

Claus broke into a snarl. "I can still fight!"

"Young man, don't you _dare-"_

"PK THUNDER!"

But for some reason, the electricity wasn't listening to him, wasn't acting the way he wanted it to go...

With a look of dawning horror, Claus could only watch as a giant bolt of lightning shot out of his fingers, tearing through the clearing. In a split second of panic, Ninten reacted, hastily conjuring up a shield, and as the shield revolved around his palms, the crackling lightning struck off the spinning plane at an odd angle, careering right into the direction of a new victim. Ninten barely caught how the teen's eyes widened in terror before Claus was up and about, screaming out his brother's name.

Then with a deafening crack of thunder, everything exploded into smoky clouds of dust.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

A wave of dirt exploded from the point of impact, and everyone closed their eyes, shielding themselves from the stinging blow of sand. Heart racing at an unhealthy speed, Claus froze, petrified and unsure of what he would see.

The dust cleared.

Trembling, yet unharmed, Lucas crouched low against the ground, shielding his face with his arms. There was a soft glow as a perfect PSI shield shattered into bits, and then a telltale glowing dot hovered into view...

_"What the blazes were you thinking?!"_

Claus flinched backwards at the rebuke. "I didn't mean to..."

"I told you to step out of the ring!" BuzzBuzz bellowed, gliding away from the downed twin. His heated expression was far from furious...it was _livid._ "Psychic powers are dangerous. Having them might boost your endurance, but they won't make you any less mortal. If your powers are slipping out of control, then the wise thing to do is forfeit the match! And had I not intercepted in time, that PK Thunder Omega could've hit your brother!"

_PK Thunder O...Omega?_

Claus gulped, staring at Lucas in a wide-eyed expression of fear and utter self-disgust. "I thought..."

"That's it. Time out. Go to the house and _sit_ _in the corner_."

"But-"

"I don't care if it takes you an hour, and I don't care if it takes you a day, but don't even _think_ about walking out until you've learned how to calm yourself down. If you can't control your emotions, then so be it! You'll end up hurting the people close to you."

Claus stared at his hands, then back at his friends. Ness averted his eyes, refusing to meet his gaze. Ninten looked up, brown eyes welling with absolute guilt, and Lucas...

He couldn't tell what Lucas was thinking behind those twin blue irises of his.

"Claus," Lucas began, reaching out for him. "It's okay..."

Filled with a horrible sense of shame, Claus did the only thing he could.

He turned and ran.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Guess who's *officially* an author now?**

**I recently co-authored a scientific work on octahedral Ruthenium metal catalysts. Awesome grad student is awesome. Anyways, all we have to do now is answer back to the first round of reviews, then wait until it's published. This really helps, because I'm doing another poster presentation on this stuff in April haha. **

**Also, thanks for being patient with waiting for me to recover from my terrible illness. I was mostly bedridden during Spring Break from a combination of muscle fatigue, sore throat, migraine, fever, and pink eye. **

** I had a lot of fun surfing Youtube for suitable songs for this chapter. In case anyone is interested (nobody lmao), here's a recap of these wonderful songs (* = personal recommendation):**

_**_-All by Myself _**_**by Eric Carmen **_**  
**__**-Sexyback**_** b****y Justin Timberlake  
**_**-Without You**_** by Harry Nilsson  
**_**-**_**_You can be King Again__ (scrapped from chapter)_**_******_

**A close competitor of _All by Myself_ was _You can be King Again** _I fell in love with the latter. But the title sounded too hopeful that I was forced to scrap it.**

**While I hope that my writing can stand well on its own, I will shamelessly encourage you to listen to ****_You can be King Again** _****to get a better grip of the mood. Not required, but recommended. Think of it as a fun experience of angst for your ears. ;) **

**...Or you could ignore me and listen to all four songs for the heck on it. _Sexyback_ tho... U_U; dont say i didnt warn u**

**Onto your reviews!**

**Shimo no**** ko:** Haha, oh man, reading ahead in my drafts for future chapters, this story will get its darker..._darkest_ moments. ;) This is only the beginning. And lol, thanks; so far, I haven't been hit by another car again, so I guess that's a good sign if anything. :)

**Pollyannamother3:** You betcha, gurl! MORE SIBLING ANST AND YOU'D BEST BELIEVE IT ;D

**Guest****:** You're right; it begins. ;) Whoop whoop the hype is real!

**Connor****:** Haha thanks for the reassurance; I _click _more with writing the main four protags, so I couldn't tell if my side characters were relatable T_T I tried. And yep; you nailed it. Pokey was able to manipulate Claus's jealousy/overprotectiveness against Ness, and Claus went all Super Saiyan. XD

Speaking of long chapters, this chapter is 10k, and it was supposed to be longer. ^_^; But the shift in tone didn't match up in the same chapter, so I ended it on a more fitting note. Plus whenever I write Lucas/Claus brotherly fluff, I tend to go overboard. Dang it. CURSE MY LONGFIC ABILITIES. But I'm glad that you got a spooky impression on the poem; I wrote it myself and thought it was pretty crappy. Poetry aint my forte lmao

Yeah, Chapter 26 was the first appearance of Tony. He actually IS confirmed to be gay by Itoi, but the super-conservative mom was a special touch of my angst-ridden brain. :) The game never really state why he was sent to boarding school, and since he seemed pretty close to Jeff, I've always wondered if he ever had any family issues. And YES someone caught the gravity-waves reference! XD THE WORLD IS ENDING AHHHH

Raising the dead is indeed messy. And oh geez, when I thought the horror in your fic couldn't go any higher D: Forget about it; maybe you should rename your fic Rising Dead 2.0 or something haha

**Plushiepaw:** Heya, Plushie! Haha I LOVE writing different POVs too, because sometimes in movies and stuff I wonder what the other people are doing besides look incredibly badass on screen. B) And yep, you're be right; Pokey was able to twist Claus's jealousy/overprotectiveness against him. I think my problem with the previous chapter was that the characters didn't sound their age in the flashback :x In my head, Claus believed Orange Kid so quickly because (1) He acts first on his emotions before he thinks, (2) he was a kid and didn't know better, and (3) it was a long flashback and I wanted to cut it off there lmao

Ack, sorry about the confusion involving what had happened to Picky! DX I meant for the chapter to end in confusion and chaos...but I guess in terms of comprehension, it completely backfired on me. XD It's not one of my proudest scenes to date, and I wish I could've worked on it, because the emotional description there was...subpar. Sorry, I have failed thee. T_T But yeah, we'll investigate what happens to the Minch family in the future.

That's an interesting interpretation of the poem! I think you're like the only one who bothered to interpret it because it was so vague. XD Double fail. But I've always had a soft spot for poetry (even though I'm more of a "prose" person), and I tried my hand at it...I dunno if it worked though haha

**PSIBoy****:** Dude, you say that your review is short, but it's still a considerable length imo. ;) Thank you for reviewing this fic in the first place! I really appreciate the effort all my reviewers put into their reviews, because to hear SOMETHING back (verbal/emotional/critical responses) from my readers means a lot to me.

Yeah, the rest of the Arc III was practically background information to piggyback off on in Arc IV. I just tried my best to craft the side characters and make them their own people...but eh, I don't think it worked out as well as I hoped. XD But hey, we're back with the main four!

You wouldn't believe how much fun I had with Tony's personality. As a tribute, I based him off of a really good friend of mine in real life (who is also gay). And yeah, the slightly parallel similarities between Lloyd, Jeff and Tony vs. Lucas, Claus, and Ninten are probably because of my ineptitude to craft new personalities. XD

I'm not denying nor confirming, nuthin', boi. ;) And oh look, BuzzBuzz is Ninten. Who could've guessed? ;D But I would think that BuzzBuzz would already know about the time/space distortion issue during his little "debriefing" sessions from his friends back in the future, so the main four protags would need no further info of the same info that Jeff/Lloyd were able to deduce.

AND HOORAY FOR DYSTOPIAN FUTURES! We'll figure out more of BuzzBuzz's backstory in future chapters. :)

**SunnyStrikerz****: **Dude, as is my policy, I will neither deny nor confirm your claim. ;) But feels will definitely be involved. LOT OF FEELZ

**HelixConundrum:** Nope! You've missed nothing. :D Chapter 27 is just a prologue to foreshadow later events. ^_^; Sorry if I wasn't too clear about that!


	29. Magypsy's Home, Sweetie Pie

_I sat, __pitifully rocking back and forth in the lonely corner like a mere child, and I thought. _

_I thought about my own debacle, my own crushing failure, my own coup de grace..._

_The nightmarish reality seized me first, jarring my mind with bloodthirsty monsters of the past. They howled, boiling my blood with chills, and I was seven again: a small, frightened coward, too foolish to have known, too caught up in my own folly to register the tragedy that was my brother lying limp in my cold arms._

_That day, I had sworn to become a better person._

_And things did get better. Lucas slowly began to peek out of his shy shell, and in turn, I learned how to trust others again. The change didn't come easily; I was still quite the intimidating character, hot-headed and aloof, but Lucas was happy, and his happiness quelled my doubts and made all the difference in the world. So foolishly, I indulged myself into thinking that the bristling, poisonous child of days yonder had all but gone._

_Seven years later, another car accident would quickly prove me wrong. _

_I fell apart._

_Cursing and running away were the only things I was ever good for__. So __I cursed my own two hands for their existence. I cursed the weakness that I thought had been bottled up long ago, a weakness which now threatened to shatter and quake my tormented soul._

_But cursing did nothing to __nurse my injured pride, and m__y guilt only grew._

_What must my brother think of me now?_

_And as I thought to myself, selfishly wishing for a happiness that felt all too ephemeral, a part of my aching heart withered and died._

* * *

"Hey, it's me. Open the door."

...

"No, I'm alone."

...

"Yeah, just me. I swear it's just me. Nobody else."

...

"He's okay. You're the one we're all worried about."

Claus shook his head; they should not be worried about him. After all, he had been the one to cause trouble in the first place.

"Where does it hurt?"

His hands. His head. His heart.

Everywhere.

"Claus, open your palms. You'll irritate your burns."

He clenched his throbbing fingers tighter. The stinging sensation was a welcome reprieve; if he could just concentrate hard on the pain, then maybe he could forget about what had transpired back in the training arena.

Maybe.

"I mean it, let me-damn it! Relax your fingers, will you?"

Stubbornly, Claus crossed his arms and stuffed his hands into his armpits.

Ness threw him a bemused look, then mimicked his posture. "Look, if you don't want me to wrap them, then I can ask Lucas to drop in instead..."

The panic was immediate. Backpedaling on scrambling feet, Claus banged his head into the wall. "No," he said quickly. "Don't call him in!"

Violet eyes, swirling with unspoken thoughts locked within, latched themselves onto the elder twin. Sighing, Ness unrolled the wad of bandages from his hands. "What happened back there?"

"I don't know."

Ness reached out to uncurl his fingers, and without a word, Claus let him. There was a sharp intake of breath.

"Claus..." Ness said weakly. "Is this...?"

"Yeah," Claus muttered, suddenly feeling rather self-conscious.

A spiderweb of burn marks glared back at them in a silent challenge. Several dark streaks twisted themselves in a striking tongue of scarred tissue, and if his skin hadn't been throbbing like hell, Claus admitted that the scars could probably pass for a pretty cool tattoo.

Shaking his head, Ness went to work. Reaching for the first-aid kit, Ness accidentally brushed his elbow against a sensitive spot, and Claus flinched, hissing in pain. Startled, Ness jerked back, pulling his arms away from inflamed skin.

"Sorry. Did I-"

"No, go on."

With strong, steady hands, Ness looped the soft gauze around the other's numerous injures. All the while, Claus kept his eyes trained on the ceiling, biting back another wince as pain stabbed through his veins.

"Does it hurt?"

Claus shook his head. "Not really," he lied, feeling like he had shoved his hands straight into a patch of thorns. "Just a little sore."

"I don't understand," Ness said, applying the finishing touches to the makeshift cast. "You were doing really well. What triggered it?"

"Like I said, I don't know." Lucas's horrified expression swam past his eyes, and ashamed, Claus grimaced, dropping his eyes to the floor. "I kind of...lost control."

Ness paused, before resuming his Boy Scout duties. "Don't feel too bad about it. It happens to everyone."

"Even you?"

A flicker of unease passed Ness's eyes before it vanished. "I used to set things on fire."

Curious, Claus listened in rapture, waiting for Ness to finish, but the latter didn't elaborate. As Ness finished his task, the weight of his frown diminished, and clumsily, he patted Claus's injured hands back into his lap.

"They should heal," Ness spoke. "But you shouldn't use your PSI for a while. It might re-open your scars."

Lifting his bandaged palms level to his eyes, Claus examined them in detached interest. Ness's handiwork was nothing extraordinary or intricate, but it got the job done. "How long will I have to wait?"

"A few days," Ninten chimed in, making both of them jump.

Claus relaxed, flickering his eyes to the door. "Where's Lucas?"

Ninten shrugged, making a funny wave towards the window. "He's outside talking with BuzzBuzz."

"You _ditched_ him?" Ness hissed, throwing Ninten a furious look. "What were you thinking, leaving him alone with a total stranger?!"

"Ness. He's literally _three feet away__,_" Ninten emphasized, looking irritated. "Geez. Keep this up, and you'll turn into Overprotective Brother Number Two. Wait, my bad - you already are."

Ignoring the two sets of poisonous glares pricking his skin (an highly impressive feat), Ninten rolled his eyes, then lazily sprawled back first onto the floor. _"Relax, _Ness. Giygas doesn't know we're here, and you've seen Lucas train today. PK Love is an OP tank-"

"I trust Lucas to look after himself," Ness interrupted in forced calm, gingerly turning Claus's cast over to study it with a fresh eye. "But I thought I told you to wait outside."

Ninten yawned, then stretched his arms. "Didn't feel like it. I had a feeling that Claus was probably off drowning in his self-pity. So, naturally, I had to swoop in and save the damsel in distress-"

"Buzz off."

"See? He's back! Already insulting me too." Ninten shot him a cocky smirk, but Claus caught the flicker of worry flashing through his eyes. "But honest to god, Claus, don't channel PSI through your hands. It might inflame your injuries. That electric charge you shot back there? Geez, talk about _intense."_

"Can't you heal me all the way?" Claus pleaded, extending out his palms.

Ninten and Ness shared a worried glance.

"It's not that simple," Ninten said, looking troubled. "Your PSI output was so sudden that it damaged some of the nerves in your hands. I could try speeding up the healing process, but because it's a PSI-inflicted wound, you should probably wait it out."

"Can't be much worse than it is now," Claus mumbled.

Hooking his calves on the couch pillows, Ninten's face fell at the despondent expression on the twin's face. "They hurt that much, huh?" he asked sympathetically.

"You wouldn't know the half of it," Claus said, shaking his head. He forced back another wince.

With a grunt of concentration, Ninten swung himself upright. "I can't heal your hands all the way, but I could probably heal you _some_. You're still going to have to lay it easy on the mind-blowing shenanigans though."

"Yes_, please,"_ Claus groaned. He was surprised to realize how naturally he relied on his PSI - it was the useful third hand he had just discovered. "Heal me."

Ninten's smirk widened. "Say the magic wor-"

"Damn it, Ninten!"

"That's the one!" Ninten said cheerfully, grasping his palms.

"Ow, not too tight!"

"Oh, you baby, you-"

"I will strangle you."

With a quick incantation, Ninten carefully released a tendril of magic in a lingering aura of sweet, exotic fruit, and Claus retracted his less-sore hands in relief. "Thanks."

Ness wrinkled his nose. "Nice job, but next time, I'd rather you leave the healing to me."

"What?" Ninten countered, flashing him another infuriating smirk. "Is someone bothered by the smell of-"

"I hate pineapple," Ness mumbled.

"Puh-lease," Ninten said, dramatically flicking his wrist. Several sparks joyfully leaped out of his fingertips. "Pineapple is amazing!"

Claus blinked, scrunching his eyebrows in confusion. "PK Healing smells like pineapple?"

"No, just mine," Ninten announced cheerfully. "LifeUp and Healing apparently share an aroma unique to their user. For example, I've noticed that Ness's smells a lot like-"

_"Ninten,"_ Ness hissed, the back of his neck flushing a deep crimson. "Don't you dare-_"_

"Jalapenos."

Mortified, Ness shoved Ninten in the face, and in response, Ninten elbowed him back. Amused by this revelation, Claus caved into a chuckle. "Really, Ness?"

"I like spicy food," Ness said, throwing the now giggling pair a nasty look.

A thoughtful look flashed across Claus's face. "I wonder what mine smells like..."

Ninten's eyes widened. "Claus, don't-!"

Stabbing pain coursed through his hands like hot brands, and Claus bit back a scream of pain before the sensation disappeared as quickly as it came. Hands shaking erratically, Claus rested his stinging palms against the cool floor. "O-Ow..."

Concerned, Ness followed his eyes. "Like we said, don't mess with your powers. You might seriously hurt yourself-"

As if on cue, Lucas burst into the room, looking panicked and disheveled. "Claus?" he said shakily. "What was that?"

Oh crap_. _Claus had forgotten about their empathy link.

The playful atmosphere quickly dissipated, leaving horrible, sinking silence in its wake.

"It was nothing," Claus muttered, averting his eyes. "Are you...?"

"I'm fine." Lucas shot him a growing look of worry. "But you felt like you were in a lot of pain-"

"He can't use PSI with his hands for a while. Fried a couple of nerves in his fingers." Ness said, shooting the elder twin a stern look that said _Don't Even Try_.

Not that Claus wanted to try. Claus was many things, but he was certainly not a masochist.

Lucas paled. "Oh..."

"It's not permanent," Claus said quickly.

Unconvinced, Lucas stepped forward. "At least let me heal your hands-"

Alarm shot through his Claus's mind like a hot knife, and as if scalded, he hastily scooted back, stuffing his palms out of sight. "NO! DON'T HEAL ME!"

"Yeah, Lucas. His hands need to be healed naturally," Ninten quipped, eyeing Claus from where the twin had tripped backwards onto the floor. "They looked pretty bad actually. You wouldn't want to see them."

Lucas slowly trailed his eyes onto his brother. "Claus," he said softly. "Let me see your hands-"

"Stay right where you are."

"But your hands..."

"Damn it, Lucas! I said, _stay away!"_

A flicker of hurt passed through Lucas's eyes, but obediently, he stepped back, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender. "I just want to see your palms," he said quietly. "It won't take long. A few seconds."

However, his words did little to placate his rattled brother. Claus couldn't let Lucas see his injuries. Lucas would stick to his side like glue until he was satisfied with his brother's health.

But if something were to trigger his PSI again, and he lost control...

Claus's breath hitched in his throat.

No, he couldn't let that happen.

Not again.

Meeting his brother's hopeful eyes, Claus swallowed hard, trying not to feel guilty about what he was about to do next. "I don't need your help, Lucas. Go away."

"Okay, I won't do anything," Lucas promised, quickly catching onto his brother's discomfort. "His hands still look inflamed. Ninten, could you run and get more gauze?"

"That's not what I meant." Claus's expression hardened. "Leave. Now."

"Oh. Well...I guess I can stay right outside if I'm making you feel uncomfortable," Lucas offered gently. "Just let me know if you need me-"

"You don't get it, do you?" Claus snapped. "Lucas, for the last time, I said I didn't need your help!"

There was a tense pause.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you." Lucas's voice sounded so quiet that Claus felt his heart loudly rip into two. "I'll get going now."

"What the hell, Claus? It won't kill him to help-"

"Don't interrupt me, Ness. Lucas, don't make me tell you twice. Leave."

"Claus, _please_," Lucas begged. "It was an accident. You won't do it again, I know you won't-"

"You don't know that. None of you do," Claus said shakily, a wild desperation blazing in his eyes. It killed to him to watch the pain-stricken expression on Lucas's face, but he knew it had to be done. "So LEAVE ME ALONE, or I swear, Lucas, if that's what it really takes, I will zap you _on purpose."_

"You wouldn't."

Claus locked eyes with him. "Try me."

There was another silence.

Finally mustering up the last ounce of his courage, Claus hesitantly trailed his eyes upward, curious of his brother's expression. But this time, it was Lucas's turn to avert his eyes, training them blankly onto the floor. There was a strange look in the younger twin's blue irises, a distant one that Claus couldn't identify.

Then to his surprise, Lucas spun on his heel and left without a sound.

Equally stunned by his uncharacteristic behavior, Ninten stared after him. "Talk about giving the cold shoulder. That was kind of harsh, even for you, Claus...but I mean, he only wanted to help..."

"Then he can help by avoiding me," Claus said coldly. "He's good at that."

Ness winced. "Okay, so maybe Lucas has been acting a little off-character today, but he's not flat-out _ignoring you._ That was a low blow."

A deep frown creased Ninten's forehead. "Even before BuzzBuzz's debriefing at breakfast, he seemed distracted, like he was fretting over something else. I wonder what's been on his mind lately...but I doubt it's anything serious!" he added hastily, noticing the depressed look on Claus's face. "He's probably upset that you got yourself injured. You were pretty mean to him, you know. I think you should go apologize."

Claus didn't bother giving a response, and instead, tried to ignore the terrible, shrinking feeling inside his gut.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

BuzzBuzz dropped by a short while later.

Needless to say, it was expected. The confrontation was bound to happen sooner or later; yet that thought did nothing to quell his feeling of deep dread. Uncharacteristically meek and unprepared, Claus braced himself for the explosion to come, only to be caught off-guard at BuzzBuzz's subdued tone.

"I'm sorry."

Claus could only stare at time traveler in disbelief.

BuzzBuzz coughed, a strange sallowness visible in his cheeks. He looked positively ill; yet as usual, it was he who first initiated contact. "How are you feeling?"

"Never better," Claus said wryly, wiggling his bandaged fingers. "You could use some rest yourself."

"No, I'm afraid that this is a condition I've had as a child." Another breathless cough. "It's not contagious, so don't worry about it."

Claus eyed him, involuntarily betraying a sliver of worry. "You don't sound too good."

"Like I said, don't distract yourself with my health. It won't matter soon."

Claus opened his mouth, wanting to argue otherwise, but the look in BuzzBuzz's eyes made him hesitate - it carried a hidden knowledge that spoke volumes of his certainty. Somehow knowing that he could not alleviate his condition, Claus slowly closed his mouth.

Apparently, he was not the only one preoccupied with the maladies of flesh.

"It's not normal to damage all these nerves in one go." Deep concern filled the tine-traveler's tone. "Did I heal you yet?"

"No. Ninten did though, a couple of hours back."

BuzzBuzz paused, as if realizing a mistake, then resumed speaking. "Your hands still look inflamed. Spread them out for me."

Dutifully, Claus did as told, grimacing at the blotchy scars in his palm. "It looks worse than it feels."

An inexplicably soft force washed over his screaming nerves, noticeably dulling the pain. Curiously, Claus got a whiff of something familiarly sweet before the scent disappeared. He soon realized that BuzzBuzz was still speaking to him; Claus quickly paid attention, hoping that he had not missed much of his debriefing.

"-must've been quite a fright for you. Forgive me. We're running short on time, and it's made me grow inconsiderate about your feelings."

"It's okay. I should've listened to you," Claus said tiredly; he didn't feel like elaborating further.

"No, it's not okay. Perhaps, Claus...as much as I hate to say it, I think-Damn it!" BuzzBuzz cursed, resting a hand on his forehead in frustration; for a second, he flickered wildly, alarming the other, but he quickly filtered back into shape.

"What was that?"

"A grievous inconvenience from time travel," BuzzBuzz grunted, adjusting his helmet. "Nothing to worry about. Now where was I...Oh yes. Claus, your injury might have been a welcome interruption in the course of events."

Claus blinked. "What are you saying?" he said slowly, filled with growing trepidation.

"What I mean to say is..." BuzzBuzz let out a loud exhale. "I think it's best if you don't use your powers until the end of this trip."

Disbelief forced Claus to forgo caution. "Why not?" he blurted out, hastily rising to his feet. "BuzzBuzz, my injury isn't permanent-"

"Given our time crunch and also our previous..._disagreements _with one another, I think that it's for the best."

"So what you're saying is...?"

BuzzBuzz refused to meet his eyes. "I won't train you, Claus."

"You can't do this!" Claus said desperately. "I know I've been a prick, but I swear I won't pick a fight with you on purpose! I-I _need_ this BuzzBuzz!"

"This has nothing to do with you personally, or about me giving you another chance. I thought too far ahead of myself. I started off on a bad footing with you, and as much as I want to teach you, your personal distrust towards me will take time to heal. Additionally, your powers are too sensitive to your emotions. Simply put, I'm just not a good instructor for you. We're not good for each other."

"What if I explode again?" Claus pleaded with terrified eyes. "What if I hurt someone? I'll need your guidance-"

"You won't need my guidance. Don't use your powers, and you won't hurt anyone."

"BuzzBuzz-"

"I'm sorry, Claus."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Silverware clattered and clinked.

The tension around the dinner table was almost palpable that Ninten could slice it with a butter knife. Trying to ignore the stony look on Claus's face, Ninten buttered his second slice of toast, then chewed on it noisily.

It was just the four of them in the mess hall; BuzzBuzz had mysteriously fallen ill again, consumed by a migraine, and with a polite word or two, excused himself into the care of Dr. Saturn.

Sitting across from each other, the twins ate their food with averted eyes. Claus was especially quiet, surprisingly devoid of any sarcasm, and Lucas would shoot him careful looks every now and then, opening his mouth as if to speak. But when Claus showed no signs of wanting to reciprocate, Lucas lowered his head, and despondently began picking at his food.

Ninten shot a quick side-glance to Ness, hoping that the older boy would catch his drift and say something to dissipate the tension. But Ness was staring at the steak on his plate with a glazed look in his eyes; he must be feeling homesick again.

That meant Ninten had to sort things out on his own.

Again.

With a light groan, Ninten pushed his chair away from the table. _Claus, this is madness. You can't ignore Lucas forever._

_I can, and I will._

_I hate to burst your bubble, but_ _no. It's__ not going to work._

_No, it will, _came the surly response. _Just you wait and see._

Ninten stabbed at a mashed potato. _You are acting really immaturely for your age._

Claus stiffened up, throwing him one of his trademark icy glares. _Speak for yourself._

_I am younger than you, dumbass._

_Ninten, buzz off. It's for his own good._

"That's it!" Ninten broke out, eyeing both twins with a glare of his own. "I don't care if you two aren't talking. You are _now_."

"What the hell-" Claus began.

"No, this has been going on for too long!" Ninten spat, jabbing his fork in his direction. "You're both clearly hurting inside, so make up, and get it over with."

Both twins shot each other uncertain glances, then grimacing, looked away.

"Stop acting like there's something going on between us!" Claus shot back, surveying Ninten with an unhappy look. "The only one throwing a hissy fit is you!"

"That's 'cause we can't afford to slip up! Giygas could catch us off guard at any minute, and we need to be ready!" Ninten shouted, stabbing his fork into the table. With a dull _thunk_ of wood, it was left quivering like a porcupine. "The longer you two stay like this, the easier he can exploit us!"

There was an explosion of flesh against wood: Claus had slammed his palms onto the tabletop. "Well, if Giygas attacks, we'll work together, okay? We know what we're doing, so leave us alone!"

The silverware began to rattle from disturbed clairvoyance.

Sensing the blatant tension in the air, Lucas uncomfortably shrank away from the table. "I'm turning in for the night," he said quietly, rising up. "See you all in the morning."

Caught by surprise, Claus knitted his features into a small frown. "You haven't even touched your food-"

But Lucas was already long gone.

Claus stared down at his plate.

"I'm not hungry," he announced bluntly.

Ninten looked torn. "Claus-"

"Stay. I'll head out."

"But-"

Dropping his fork onto the table, the elder twin silently brushed past him like a forgotten spirit.

As if finally realizing that there had been a problem, Ness snapped back into reality, and blinked in confusion at the two empty seats in front of him. "Where did everyone go?"

"Some help you are," Ninten said, rolling his eyes, and for once, Ness had the chagrin to look embarrassed.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

They were so similar, yet so different.

Bony ridges decorated his heated hands. Claus slowly turned his palms over, surveying his scarred fingers with an expressionless face. His reflection contorted into a mirrored look of disgust before it violently vanished with a ear-shattering _splash_, sending broken ripples scattering across the icy pond.

Lucas's hands were soft. They were cool, but not overwhelmingly so and felt pleasantly refreshing to the touch. Lucas's hands had that secret magic that could make anyone feel wonderful inside, like he was pouring out all the warmth through his fingers. They promised of happiness and healing, of better times lying under the summer sun catching raindrops on his tongue.

But _his_ hands inflicted nothing but danger and destruction. _His_ knuckles bit and scalded anyone they touched, causing the tears and curses of countless many.

The pebble skidded across the smooth, glassy surface before it sank in a disturbed flurry of bubbles.

_Splosh, splosh, splosh._

Again, his fingers curled around another rough stone, and he raised his fist to hurl it as far as he could-

_Splosh, splosh, splosh, splosh, splosh._

Someone else had already beaten him to it.

"I know what you're thinking, Claus. Don't do it."

"I wasn't going to do it."

"Running away?"

Ninten's words had struck a particularly sore spot. Taken aback, Claus threw him an intensely poisonous glare that would've burned holes in any other person, then bared his teeth. A defensive maneuver, Ninten realized. "Fuck you-"

"No, I'm sick and tired of you blaming yourself for everything!" Ninten suddenly snapped, standing in front of him and forcing the other to reluctantly look into his eyes. "Damn it, Claus! You either lash out or run away, and when that doesn't work, you crumble and explode! How long are you planning to drag this out?!"

Claus shifted his gaze to the water. "For however long I have to."

"Apologize to Lucas."

"No."

Ninten's eyes glowed a starling amber. Several tones of earthy red flickered in blatant displeasure. "Maybe I am wrong about you. You really are an asshole."

Claus flinched. "It's for his own good," he said lamely.

Ninten looked terribly unimpressed. "I'm sure it is."

"Do you think I enjoy _doing this?!"_ Claus blurted out, wringing his hands in desperation. "I could've hurt Lucas today. Hell, I could've _killed_ him. I'm too dangerous, but Lucas doesn't get that. Lucas needs to stay back. He needs to keep his distance from me, and if he won't listen, then I have no choice but to _make _him. You gotta understand, Ninten. I need to protect him-"

Ninten's laugh resounded mockingly in his ears. "By being a Grade A asshole?"

The unexpected psychic assault smacked Ninten hard in the chest and sent the younger boy flying head-first into a tree. With a sickening smack, Ninten gave a sharp gasp before slumping into a dead heap. Confusion quickly shifting to horror, Claus looked down at his palms, which were now flickering a bright blue.

"Shit! Ninten!"

Desperate hands hoisted the dazed boy by the collar, and Ninten dumbly looked up into his friend's eyes. The fall must have knocked some strange thoughts into his head, but up close, Claus's eyes looked – for lack of a better phrase – _alive._

They looked human.

Ninten was vaguely brought back to Earth by the sharp scent of cinnamon and a hiss of pain. The telltale green glow of PK Healing faded from Claus's hands in a shimmering wisp, and suddenly Ninten's mind cleared.

"Ninten, answer me! OREOS! Earth to Ninten!"

Resorting to desperate measures, Claus slapped him in the cheek with his still-stinging hands. For a second, Ninten looked at him so blankly that Claus was afraid that he had knocked him unconscious again.

Then the Podunk teen blinked. "Ouch."

Claus peered down at him anxiously. "Are you awake?"

"No, I'm asleep," Ninten responded sarcastically, exaggerating a loud snore.

Claus punched him in the shoulder. "Ass."

Ninten broke out into a round of mad giggles. "Who are you calling an ass, asshole?"

"Stop goofing around! You seriously worried me back there-"

"Woah. I _worried_ you?" Ninten dropped his jaw in sheer disbelief, then burst out laughing much to Claus's humiliation. "Awww, so you really _do_ care-"

"I thought I knocked you out!"

"-and here I was, thinking you were a heartless prick all along."

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"No, _you_ shut up."

"Oh, yeah?"

_"Yeah._ I said it first!"

"First is the worst, second is the best. Don't you know how to count, loser?"

Ignoring him, Claus poked his face with clammy fingers as if searching for a bruise, and with a grimace, Ninten slapped them off. "Calm your shit. I'm okay."

Claus froze. With a carefulness that was quite uncharacteristic of him, Claus slowly backed away like a wounded animal, all the time keeping his eyes glued on his best friend. Ninten caught his breaking composure.

Claus was afraid of hurting him.

Ninten swallowed hard, eyeing Claus's shaking hands. Claus didn't often show it, but hell, Ninten knew how much he _hated_ harming people he loved. And whenever Claus did, it drew out a show of weakness that he seldom showed to even his own brother.

With an audible gulp, panicked blue eyes darted to the left, but Ninten cut in before Claus could bolt.

"I've been there before, Claus. Running away. It won't help." Ninten's voice had turned awfully quiet. "I would know that. _You_ would know that."

As if he had turned on a switch, Claus had gone still. When the twin finally spoke, he did so without turning around. "Your head…Are you…?"

"Yes, my head kissed a tree headfirst and I'm feeling dandy. Well, no duh, it hurt!" Ninten spat, pointing at the fading bruise on his temple. "But worst case scenario, I have a lump on my bloody forehead. I'm still alive! I mean, really, you act like you _killed me_ or somethi-"

Ninten suddenly halted in mid-rant, eyes filling with realization. "Well, shit."

Claus forced himself not to look at him. "See what I mean? I'm dangerous. There's no telling _what_ I'll do next, or _who_ I'll hurt next," he croaked, drawing back within himself. "I promise I won't run away, okay? I wouldn't do that to Lucas or…or to any of you. But from now on, you all need to keep your distance from me-"

Claus flinched, cut off by the feel of warm fingers curling around his palm. He tensed, muscles locked into place, then narrowed his eyes into a pair of frightening blue slits.

"What are you doing?"

Ninten stubbornly met his gaze. "Like Lucas said, it's okay. We trust you. You won't hurt us."

In response, the Podunk teen got a faceful of bared teeth. "Cut it out, Ninten. _I'm serious."_

"Calm down, dude. Just breathe-"

"D-Don't." Claus's voice wavered. His lanky shoulders were madly shaking like a leaf. "Don't do this to me. Let go-"

"It's okay. Look."

But the few seconds of contact must've been too much for Claus to handle, because he ripped his hand out of his grasp, then bristling, retreated to the far side of the shady oak.

"Yeah, I'm _looking,_ all right!" Claus snapped in a wounded tone. "Back off. The next thing I want is BuzzBuzz flying around, yelling at me for electrocuting innocent bystanders-"

"For the last time, I'm all right! God, you're a noble-headed idiot." Claus flinched again, but Ninten ignored it. Pity laced his brown eyes. "You won't hurt me. I _know_ you, Claus. Sometimes you act like a huge jerk and grind our egos to dust, but you're not a bad person. You're an asshole, but you're not a bad person."

Something seemed to break in Claus, and he slid onto his knees, trembling all the while.

"We've dragged this out long enough, don't you think?" Ninten said kindly. "Come on, Claus. Don't waste your time freezing your ass off."

_Splosh, splosh._

Memories from this morning flooded back into his head, and with a sickening lurch, Claus buried his head into his hands. "It was an accident..."

"I know."

"_I'm_ an accident."

"Don't say that," Ninten said sharply, stunning Claus with his tone. "PSI is difficult to control."

"Tell that to Lucas. He's perfect at everything."

"You can't be better than him at everything, you know."

Tossing his head back, Claus let loose bark of mirthless laughter. His teeth flashed once in the dark; bitter and feral. "It's not about that."

"Then what's it about now?" Ninten challenged, looking him straight in the eye. "Are you mad because he's finally better than you at something?"

"No!"

"Really? Because that's what it sounds like to me."

Claus turned around. An overwhelming heat burned from his eyes. "I'm mad," he admitted, clenching his teeth. "But I'm mad at _myself_. Look at me, Ninten! What am I doing here? I'm dragging us all down. I'm a liability, a dud, a living bomb, all because I can't control my goddamn feelings! Hell, I can't even use PSI anymore!" he yelled, dangling his floppy hands uselessly into the air. "How can I be of any help to anyone now?!"

Angrily, Claus tossed a pebble into the water. It skipped a few beats, then sank with a small plop.

Following suit, Ninten crouched next to him, then chucked a rock of his own.

_Splosh. Splosh. Splosh._

With a fizz of bubbles, the pebble sank like a stone.

"Give yourself more credit. Lucas probably has a better grip on his emotions because of _you._ He's always had you to stand up for him. Having you probably mellowed him out, you know..." Ninten trailed off, fiddling with his cap. "I saw him on my way here. He was looking for you."

"I was here the entire time. He never stopped by."

Ninten frowned. "That's weird. I would've thought...nevermind."

An unpleasant feeling bubbled in Claus's stomach. Lingering suspicion had finally turned into reality: Lucas was avoiding him.

"He probably couldn't find you, that's all," Ninten said, trying to keep his spirits up. "Or maybe he thought you were back in the village."

"Right."

There was a pregnant pause.

Claus picked up another stone and rolled it between his fingers. "Hey...Tin-Ten."

"Yeah?" Ninten responded, studying his features, but he couldn't make out Claus's expression in the dark.

"Do psychics dream of the future?"

Surprised, Ninten backpedaled, clutching the bark for support. "Well...not all dreams...but some of them tend to have a ring of truth. Why? Did you dream about something?"

The dark silhouette shifted. "I don't think so," Claus mumbled. His fingers anxiously fiddled with his shirt, scratching at the spot over his heart.

"Uh-huh."

"Sod off."

Ninten gave a small laugh. "Whenever I nap or sleep nowadays, I've been getting dreams more about my uncle," he admitted, scratching his head. "Giygas either tells me all these cryptic warnings, or wants me to run home. Other times, I see memories of his childhood. He really did love my great grandmother...and I wish I'd known that sooner. Because every time I talk to him now, he starts feeling less and less...relatable. Sometimes he doesn't even recognize me. I think he hates me, because I look a lot like George."

Claus looked uncertain about what to say. "...That sucks," he finally said.

"It's okay. It's not like I knew him well. Honestly, I doubt Giygas liked me from the start, and-" Ninten coughed into his hand, then instinctively dug out an inhaler with the other. After a couple of puffs, his breathing evened out. "Hey, Claus. I forgot to bring it up earlier, but yeah...I'm sorry."

Claus didn't even bother turning around. "If this is another guilt trip about you feeling responsible for what your uncle's done, then don't even think about it."

"No, I mean, about what happened today."

Oh.

_That._

Claus shifted his gaze towards the ground. "I shot the thunderbolt."

"But I reflected it," Ninten admitted. His face knitted into a deep frown. "If BuzzBuzz hadn't stepped in on time, Lucas would've gotten hurt because of me. It wasn't fair that BuzzBuzz only exploded at you."

An internal wave of remorse flooded over him, emotion so intense and painful that Claus briefly distanced himself from Ninten's mind. "Don't be stupid," Claus muttered. "It's not your fault."

"I guess," Ninten said, though he sounded far from convinced. "BuzzBuzz was looking for you earlier. Probably to apologize."

"Yeah. He healed my hands." Claus threw him a side-glance. "How was training?"

"Good. Well..." Ninten rolled a pebble between his fingers. "Right after you left, we stopped. Lucas wasn't happy that BuzzBuzz sent you running. You should've seen his face. I can't explain, but he gave BuzzBuzz this..._lo__ok, _then walked off without saying a single word. And BuzzBuzz didn't do _shit._ He got all quiet after Lucas left...you know, I think BuzzBuzz does feel bad about yelling at you."

"I don't care. This isn't about BuzzBuzz anymore." Claus's voice turned pained. "He's right. I can't control my powers. I can't tell when they'll explode out of me, and I can't risk hurting any of you again-"

"Stop it_,"_ Ninten said, crossing his arms. "Believe it or not, you're not a freakshow. It's normal for stuff like this to happen."

"...Really?"

_"Yeah._ Do you think Ness and I turned into PSI masters overnight? Psssh, no. When I first got my powers, my sisters learned not to startle me because I'd explode every lightbulb in a five foot radius. And Ness told me that he would spontaneously combust into flames every time he got a nightmare."

Claus winced. "How did his mom not notice _that_?"

Ninten frowned. "I don't know. Well for starters, he said that he didn't burn anything down. It was more like an intense light than _heat,_ I guess, but I'd be freaked out if I woke up glowing like a Christmas tree."

"Oh." Now Claus felt stupid for running away. "I didn't know."

"Of course, you didn't know! You _couldn't _have known, dang it! Claus, losing control is _perfectly normal_." Ninten waved his arms, looking exasperated. "The only reason BuzzBuzz grilled you was because you didn't listen when he advised you to stay put. So come back, please?"

"..."

Brown eyes softened in sympathy. "He knows you didn't mean it. Don't leave him hanging."

For a long moment, there was simply silence. But with a long suffering sigh, Claus pushed himself onto his feet.

"About time!" Ninten cheered, punching the air. "I knew you had it in you!"

Exasperated, Claus narrowed his eyes in amusement. "I'm not going back yet. Just stretching."

"Douche."

This time, Claus couldn't resist a snort. "Where the fuck did _that_ come from?!"

"Outta nowhere." Ninten gave him a slow, lopsided grin, and it was so like him to flash his sly trademark smile that Claus felt his heart warm up inside, almost like they were back home, sneaking out at midnight on yet another trip to Frank's burger joint. With his goofy, air-headed nature, Ninten didn't seem very rebellious, but Claus knew that his casual attitude, while genuine, was also a facade. With such uptight, wealthy parents who fussed over his health to the nearest pinky, Ninten wanted breathing space. He _needed_ breathing space. As the eldest son in the family, they held high expectations for him, and whenever he failed to reach them by a millimeter, it was hefty disappointment doled all around.

Small wonder why Ninten called at god-awful hours to hang.

Ninten must've been thinking the same thing, because his hazel eyes lifted up considerably. "Frank's place, next time?"

"Again?"

"Two Happy Happy Meals."

Claus shuddered. "I'll stick with just the hamburger, thanks."

"Vanilla milkshakes?"

"And large fries."

"All on me!"

"Deal."

"But I call shotgun!"

"You always call shotgun."

"That's because _someone_ needs to drive us there, and you're the only one with a driver's permit."

Claus snorted, flicking the ginger hair out of his face. "I'm fine with whatever as long as _you're_ not the one driving."

"Look at you!" Ninten laughed. "You're so easy to bribe. See, if _I_ were working for the Dark Side, I'd have you recruited in a jiffy-"

_"_It's free food," Claus said, tossing him a disgruntled look. "I'll take it, anytime, hands down."

They were interrupted by an awkward clearing of the throat. All eyes flickered to the back towards a familiar silhouette.

"BuzzBuzz was looking for you earlier," Ness said, gaze flitting first over Ninten before resting on Claus. "Did he find you?"

"He did," Claus said, feeling like a tape-recorder on repeat. "Not now though. A few hours back."

Ness nodded. "Don't stay out here for too long," he warned. "BuzzBuzz isn't taking watch today, so I think we should stay up tonight. Take guard. Do shifts. Maybe check out what they have in the store and restock on supplies. You guys want to tag along?"

"We'll be down in a sec," Ninten said, cheerfully waving him off. "Go ahead. We'll catch up."

Ness paused, looking like he wanted to say more, but thought better of it, and quietly retreated from the outskirts of the village.

Ninten rolled his eyes with a smirk, throwing a gesture in the direction Ness had disappeared off to, then mouthed, _Goody two-shoes_.

But Claus didn't laugh. If anything, Ness's presence reminded him of the reception he had yet to face. An uneasy feeling roiled in his gut, but as if reading his thoughts, Ninten punched his shoulder.

"Stop it. I'm sure Lucas already forgives you," Ninten said, this time poking him gently in the arm. "I swear, when it comes to deprecating self-worth, you're almost as bad as Lloyd. Geez, who would've ever guesse-"

Claus shoved him in the shoulder, and with a cry of disbelief, Ninten fell right onto his rear.

"Ow! What the fuck, man?!"

"You asked for it," Claus smirked, reaching out a hand. Eyebrow cocked, Ninten quickly leaped to his feet, wordlessly gesturing at his injured palms, and sinking in realization, Claus uncertainly shoved them back into his pockets. With a crunch of crisp leaves, Claus breathed out, a wisp of smoke curling out of his lips, then slowly rose, resting against a nearby tree. "Well, I'm out."

"You're leaving?!"

"Like I said, just for a walk."

"You've gone mental."

Claus shrugged. "I do this at home sometimes. We live far from the city, remember? There's a small forest in the back. I know how to handle wild animals."

"Not in this weather." Ninten looked nonplussed. "You'll freeze! Well, I guess your PSI should keep you warm for a while...maybe a day...but that's beside the point! And Lucas-"

"Make up some excuse if he asks. I won't be gone for long, I swear."

Suddenly, Ninten turned quiet, pursing his lips into a thin line. "Claus, I've known you for a while, and I don't think you...Don't do anything stupid, all right?"

Claus shot him a wry look, then waggled his hands in mid-air. "News flash: I can't use PSI. I won't stray too far from camp. Cover for me while I'm gone, will you?"

Ninten eyed him carefully, then let out a defeated sigh. "One hour. If you're back by then...then I'll swear that I saw and heard nothing."

"Deal."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Lucas...?"

When he got no response, Claus hesitantly poked his head in. The sight that awaited him left a small smile of relief lingering on his lips; he hadn't needed to use the rehearsed script in his arsenal.

Lucas was curled up against the floor. He was fast asleep, finally tuckered out from the emotional and physical trials of the day. If possible, he looked even younger, seemingly vulnerable and child-like without the burden of his thoughts.

Gently lowering his arms underneath his fragile form, Claus carefully lifted his twin up into a more comfortable position. Emitting a soft noise, Lucas frowned, uneasily shifting around in discomfort until Claus hesitantly approached his side. As if sensing his presence, Lucas relaxed, easing into the pillows with a small sigh.

With a gentle finger, Claus tucked a stray strand of golden hair behind his ears. "Hey. I'll be out to steal some fresh air, okay?" he whispered, watching his brother with attentive eyes. "You stay here and catch some Z's."

Of course, the deep sleeper he was, Lucas said nothing, only breathing in and out, calm and slow. Surprised by how peaceful his younger brother looked, Claus could only stand and stare in concern, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. Hoping that no nightmares plagued his dreams tonight, Claus risked a peek into his brother's mind, only to withdraw quickly with a heavy heart.

A carefully-packed picnic basket. Bright yellow sunflower fields.

Lucas was dreaming about their mother.

A bittersweet pang flooded his mouth.

"Don't you worry, Lucas. Mom and dad aren't here, but I'll keep you safe." Struggling not to let his voice crack, Claus slowly retreated backwards. "I'm gonna get strong. I'm gonna get stronger. I'm gonna get so strong that nothing won't stand a chance against me. Lucas...I..."

Snapping his mouth shut, Claus whipped around, disappearing into the snowy night.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The cold wind bit into his cheeks.

Colder still was the truth he refused to admit.

Claus wasn't unintelligent. He was used to things coming naturally to him without trying. He caught concepts in the snap of a finger, brushed off homework like it was as easy as counting one, two, three.

But for the first time, he was failing. He was _failing_ to do the one thing his brother had succeeded in. Somehow, Lucas had managed to learn PSI without batting an eye, and here Claus was, struggling to let out even a small spark of magic.

PSI was _illogical_.

How was he supposed to achieve something by "feeling for it?"

As much as he felt proud for his brother…Claus couldn't deny the nagging sense of jealousy in his simmering mind. Like a restless monster, it reared up, roaring its discontent to the world, then furiously clawed hot furrows into his heart. And with every failed attempt, the injuries in his pride deepened.

"PK Love!"

A violent shiver crawled down up his arm, but as usual, nothing happened.

No matter how hard Claus tried, he couldn't do it. He just _couldn't_. He could almost taste the power surge in his tongue, feel the low hum of warmth wash over his heart and tickle the very tip of his fingers...

_But he couldn't do it._

Resentment towards his own brother slammed into him full force before it was quickly extinguished, leaving only morose bitterness and guilt in its wake. No, he wasn't resentful towards Lucas. It wasn't _Lucas's_ fault that he happened to be better at this. Lucas certainly didn't _ask_ for this. Claus recalled how uneasy his twin looked at the prospect of having to save the world.

Lucas didn't ask to be the hero. Who was Claus to begrudge him of that?

But Claus hated it. He hated seeing the weight of that responsibility on his brother's shoulders, hated that heavy, solemn look he caught in his twin's blue eyes. It was almost as if some universal force despised his brother and _wanted_ to make him suffer. _He _was the wayward twin, the rogue child, the rebel, and yet, _Lucas_ had to pay for it.

_Why him? _

_Why not me?_

Lucas laughing. Lucas crying.

They'd already been through so much, and yet, the world wanted more.

"PK Love!"

Sharp, stabbing pain bit his fingers, and with a vile oath, Claus cut off the mental connection. Now was not a good time to practice his PSI. He was out of village parameters; there was no telling if a Starman might catch onto his bout of PSI.

Or rather, his lack of PSI.

Absolutely frustrated, but not knowing who or what to be frustrated at anymore, Claus whirled around, slamming an injured palm against bark. The tree shuddered, groaning under his ministrations; its frozen leaves winked under the slow light, glowing a pearly sheen in the early dusk.

Claus was furious at nothing and everything; he was furious at the world for _needing_ saving in the first place, furious that he was so useless and _helpless-_

"Rawr!"

Claus gave a startled jump before whirling around in shock. A tiny, green dinosaur-like creature cocked its head at him before looking up with wide, curious eyes.

A baby drago.

_But dragos are supposed to be extinct..._

"Rawr!" it pathetically cried again as if trying to scare him.

Claus stared.

The drago stared back.

Claus stared.

The drago wagged its tail. "Rawr!"

"Hey there," Claus murmured in the rare, soft tone normally reserved for his younger brother. He rubbed the gentle herbivore on the head, and felt the drago vibrate as it purred silently in content. For a scaly reptile, it sure acted a lot like Boney. "What are you doing out here?"

The green drago only perked up its ears and nudged its snout closer into his hand. Claus grinned – he doubted could've held back a smile if he tried.

"Where's your mom?" He asked, eyes flickering around for any sign of any other dragos. "I don't think your parents would let you wander off too far, little guy." His face fell. "Or maybe you lost your mom too."

"Rawr!"

Claus eyed the green drago, which only stared back, twitching its tail. With a sigh, Claus pushed himself back onto his feet. "C'mon, let's go find your family."

A deeper roar resounded from the foliage.

As if on cue, the baby drago perked up. Jumping out of Claus's arms, it hurried over meet a larger drago. Upon their unexpected reunion, the bigger drago affectionately licked the baby drago on the face. Instantly, the baby jumped back, letting out a high-pitched _meep_ of disapproval. The bigger drago let out a throaty, laugh-like rumble and nudged its smaller counterpart by the snout.

Suddenly, the larger drago sniffed the air, and sensing another presence, turned to stare directly at Claus. Resisting the urge to run, Claus stiffened as the drago lumbered over, leaning over to inspect him curiously. Hot air escaped from its nostrils as it snorted into his face. Surprisingly intelligent brown eyes gazed into his own.

Then the larger drago sloppily licked his face with a wet, slimy tongue.

"Eww, gross!" Claus laughed, wiping away its spit away with his sleeve. "Oh, come on!"

The larger drago affectionately butted its scaly head against Claus's arm, and somehow, Claus understood. "Is that your little brother?" Claus asked, watching the younger drago romp around in the dirt. "I guess you're taking pretty good care of him while mom's away, huh?"

The larger drago grunted, then suddenly turned around to nip its excited sibling by the ear. The baby drago whined, and Claus grinned, catching the gist: _Behave yourself._

With a content rumble, the larger drago stomped away into the forest, and yelping, the smaller one followed obediently at its heels. For a second, the baby drago turned around to give Claus a final yowl of excitement before disappearing from sight.

_Which reminds me...I should probably head back to camp._

But as Claus stood up, something clattered melodiously against the ground. A sheen of bright silver caught his eye, and Claus bent over to examine it. Stunned in awe, he fingered the smooth artifact in his hands.

A perfect drago tooth.

The precious artifact nestled in his hands, glittering with the light of a thousand crystal pieces. This was a find so rare that even archaeologists would die for it; if Claus turned it into the local museum, he knew he could sell it for a fortune.

But secretly smiling to himself, Claus safely pocketed the drago fang then clambered back up to camp. He couldn't wait to see Lucas's face as he recounted the incredulous tale that had happened that evening. The moon peeked out from a mountainside, bathing his shoes in liquid silver, and Claus tossed back his head. A child's laugh rang through the air, bright and full of joy.

The forest hid many secrets, but the dragos' existence was one Claus would keep to his grave.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

He was lost.

Thick shadows hung over him in ghastly grins, long leaves draping their branches in a tongue of darkness. A ghostly howl echoed in the distance, followed by a series of ragged barks. The stream trickled and gurgled, setting off ominous splashes within the shivering song of crickets.

Claus should've known better than to trek off on his own. Playing with the dragos had led him into an unknown territory; nothing here looked familiar at all. Another howl ripped through the silence, and instinctively, Claus clutched the drago fang tighter to his chest.

Dare he risk telepathy?

A sudden noise rustled from above. Instantly, Claus drew out the drago fang. Hot blood pounding through his veins, Claus strained his ears for any other sound, peering up into the thick canopy.

Nothing.

Claus relaxed.

An unearthly screech to the left sent his feet flying, jumping ten feet into the air. Something shot out, eyes bulging out of its sockets, then snatched the drago fang out of his hands. Toppling to the ground in terror, Claus blindly fanned out his telepathy to jab at his attacker, only to stop at the loud hoot of laughter.

Grinning cheekily from above, the monkey sent him a mocking four-finger wave. "Looking for something?"

Startled, Claus scowled at the monkey before flashing back to a previous conversation with Ness.

_"PSI boosts your mental awareness. That's why you can understand animals."_

A sharp smack to the face jolted him back into the conscious world.

"Ow!" Claus hissed, rubbing the lump on his head. "What was that for?"

To his surprise, the monkey chattered back delightfully. "Silly carrot! You needed a good swat on the head! Dreaming is for the asleep!"

"I'M NOT A CARROT!" Furious, Claus tried to hit him back, but the monkey avoided his hands with another hoot of laughter.

"You are no monkey, and you have no tail, but you are like me. Are special. Can understand my idle chatter!"

"Oh, I understand your idle chatter, all right," Claus said grumpily. "And I wish I didn't. Now give my stuff back!"

"What if I say no?"

Claus clenched his teeth, then made another swipe for the fang. But the monkey simply leaped over to the next tree and peered back at him with laughing eyes.

"Come back here!"

"If you're lost, you should ask for directions," the monkey suggested.

"Like you'd know where-"

"Saturn Valley."

"...How did you-nevermind." Claus sighed, then dragged a hand down his face. "Yes, some directions would be nice. I guess I am kind of lost..."

"Of course you're lost!" The monkey clapped a hand to his mouth in mirth. "You are lost in your thoughts! Ppffff hahahaha!"

"Very funny," Claus grumbled.

Wiping the tears from its eyes, the monkey jabbed a finger in his direction. "You crack me up, carrot; you really funny! You walking in circles and circles and circles...phew, you so lost! Heeheehee!"

"Your words aren't helping," Claus muttered, trying to rack his brains. "Now, where was I...?"

Tired of teasing the confused teen, the monkey sobered up, offering him back the stolen drago fang. "Words of deceit taste sweet to the ear."

Claus snatched back the drago fang. "Thanks for the advice," he said icily. "But I'd really appreciate it if you didn't steal my stuff."

"Not stealing. _Helping."_

"Yeah, right-"

Claus faltered, halting at the unexpected sight. A magnificent trail of soft lights snaked through the forest, glowing and humming gently with heavenly warmth. Drinking in the wondrous view in disbelief, Claus rubbed his eyes.

It disappeared.

"I must be imagining things," Claus muttered, slapping his forehead.

"Nothing is coincidence," the monkey chimed. "Look, carrotboy! Try. _See what cannot be seen!_"

"So I'm supposed to see...nothing."

With a low rustle of leaves, the monkey shifted in place. "The most precious things in life cannot be seen," it said softly. "They are felt."

Claus paused.

Was the path a manifestation of his own doing? Did his PSI sense his loneliness, and acting of its own will, provide an invisible compass directing him back to his brother?

Almost tugging on his mind with an unusual force, his PSI hummed happily, a warm furnace in his heart. After some quiet thought, he stepped into the clearing. Taking a deep breath, he slowly closed his eyes...

And set everything free.

An excited hoot of laughter caused him to re-open his eyes. Claus drank in the breath-taking sight of his success in awe; running through the golden line with shaking fingers, he realized that the glowing thread of gold hummed at the same beat of his PSI, musically loud and steady.

"I did this..." Claus said in disbelief.

Another cheerful slap on the shoulder sent a grin curling up his face, and Claus turned around to watch the monkey throwing its hands up into the air with joy.

"The truth is not light. It heavy!"

"Haha."

"You understand, yes?" With a hoot of glee, the monkey waved him off. "The heart be your guide. Farewell, Magical Carrot-Boy!"

"Thank yo-wait, _I'm not a carrot!_"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Caw Caw!"

Claus jerked his head up in shock.

"That is Hello. In Bird Tongue. Name Sparrow."

"Hello to you too." Claus paused, looking somewhat curious. "Why do birds sing?"

"Why not?"

"It's unwise. Predators could eat you if you sing so loudly."

"It is better to have a voice than to have none at all."

"I suppose so."

Sparrow blinked, hopping along the branch. "What is your song?"

"My song?"

"Everyone sings a song. The flowers sing of sunshine and rain. The fish sing of swimming in the crystal lakes. I sing of love and of a nestmate. Listen closely." Tilting its head, the sparrow trilled out a small, sharp five-note tune. "What do you sing of?"

Claus shuffled uncomfortably. "I don't sing."

"Shh, fledgling. Listen. Do you hear it?"

Claus stopped. He listened hard.

The rustle of dried leaves. The soft whistle of wind.

Proudly ruffling up its feathers, the sparrow bobbed its head in approval. "Loud sing your heartstrings."

"But I heard nothing."

"Every heart sings a tune. Someday, you will hear yours, and you will know."

"...Goodbye."

"Goodbye!"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Tired and exhausted, Claus took a quick break by the frozen riverbank to rest his legs. The waterfall echoed close by in a heavenly shower, glistening over the shallow pool rocks in a continuous gurgle. The golden thread, ever a guide, lit his way forward.

With a flash of scales, a shimmer of color slowly floated through the water. A fish stared at him with unblinking, glazed eyes. A flurry of bubbles escaped from his mouth.

"Glub, glub."

Claus snorted. "I don't suppose you talk too?"

"Glub, glub."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Goodbye."

"Glub, glub."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Hullo. I am friend."

Confused, Claus looked around.

"No. Up here."

Filled with growing trepidation, Claus slowly tilted his face up. There was a scratch of tiny claws on wood before the speaker itself finally crawled out from underneath the trees. Two ears popped up, followed by a quivering pink nose.

"I am Mouse," it said. "Do you have any cheese?"

Claus numbly shook his head.

"Oh." The Mouse sounded rather sad. "You break my heart."

"Sorry."

"I suppose I should not be disappointed. Cheese is tasty. Unfortunately, tasty things are gobbled up quickly. Few spare time to savor the precious moments in life," it mused wisely. It twitched its ears, then hopefully peered up, preening its whiskers with small paws. "Are you searching for cheese?"

"No. I'm returning home to my brother."

"Brothers are precious," Mouse agreed. "Like cheese."

"Right," Claus said absentmindedly, remembering how much Lucas liked cheese too. "Well, if you don't mind, I think I'll be off on my way."

"My mistress can help you."

"I know the way back-"

"No, she can help you heal." Mouse glanced up at him curiously. He sniffed his shoe. "Many holes in your heart. Like cheese."

With a pitter-patter of tiny feet, the mouse tip-toed over, then nudged its snout into Claus's hand. Absentmindedly, Claus stroked its soft, warm fur as if it were a dog, and the white mouse snuggled closer to his hand. Its pelt shone and felt of love; the mouse was clearly well-cared for.

"The Lady of the Lake is a powerful Magypsy," Mouse said. "She is my mistress, the Shaman."

"The Shaman?"

"Her kindness knows no bounds. She heals the wounds and scars of many forest animals. Perhaps she can heal yours."

Raising an eyebrow, Claus glanced down at himself. The bottom of his scarred palms were slightly scraped, but he knew that all markings would fade quickly over time. "I don't need healing."

"She knows PSI very well."

"She does?"

"Yes. Do stop by. She's always lonely. So very lonely, all by herself. Most people judge her for her creepy Nwehehehe laugh, but she's always been nice to me..." Mouse trailed off, then wistfully looked up the waterfall. "Please give her short company. I miss her so."

Torn, Claus looked at his palms. "But I have to return to the village..."

"Won't take long," the mouse insisted. "In and out. Just a minute."

"Then I suppose it can't hurt to check the place out." Following Mouse's gaze, Claus caught sight of a curious, swirly-pink cone-shaped dwelling. It looked odd, yet strangely majestic, resting in a pool of water by the very cusp of the waterfall. "Is that where she lives?"

"There my gentle mistress resides."

"Maybe she can train me how to use PSI," Claus said aloud. He made a move to walk forward, then hesitated once more. "But my brother..."

"Is safe with friends. No harm."

Claus exhaled. "I really shouldn't be doing this. Lucas is going to get worried sick." But thinking about how lonely the Magypsy sounded, and looking into the pitifully pleading eyes of the mouse, Claus dragged a palm down his face. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

"Your passion defines who you are." The Mouse yawned, its tiny, pink maw widening before snapping it shut. "The heart is strong where the mind is weak. Do not forget."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

"Goodbye, and good luck."

And Claus walked away from the cobbled stones, stepping off the warm glow of the beckoning trail and into the sweet shade of the palisade.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The house by the waterfall was a quaint little thing.

For one, there was no door.

For another, it was stuffed to the brim with mist.

Lots and lots of mist.

Feeling the distant sea-spray on his cheeks, Claus cautiously lingered at the foot of the giant conch-shell. Graceful swirls curved the home into a unique piece of architecture, stylish and mystical. Curiously, Claus lightly slid a finger down its surface, then examined it. Pink, glittery powder coated his fingernails. Shuddering, Claus instantly wiped it off on a blade of grass.

Then the mist thickened, coiling around his arms like a pair of hands.

"Welcome, Traveler."

Taking this as a cue to enter, Claus stepped over the threshold, then nervously peered into the darkness within. "...Hello?"

A disembodied voice, airy and mysterious, spoke through the mist. "Speak, Child."

"A friend of yours told me to see you. Um...mouse? I think. I can't stay long, but I was hoping you could help me out."

"..."

Wondering if it was healthy to feel this much stupidity in one go, Claus slowly backed away. "Sorry, wrong address-"

"NO! Five more minuuuutes!"

Claus blinked. "Sure."

There was the sound of more rustling, a clatter of porcelain, then a loud wail. "Oh _phooey!_ I ruined my dramatic entrance! Claus, can you be a dear and help an old lady out?"

Startled by the call of his name, Claus jolted upright. "Oh...I guess I can...uh..." Claus squinted into the thick mist. "I can't see anything."

There was a sharp gasp, quickly followed by a loud clap of the hands. As the mist disappeared in a howling _whoosh_ of a tornado, Claus blinked in disorientation, stumbling on unsteady feet before his train of thought was once again interrupted by an awful caterwauling that shattered the high heavens. Eyes dawning in realization, Claus slowly turned around, catching sight of the wise, ever-revered PSI master of all time...

Furiously texting on her cellphone.

"OH NO!" the Magypsy screamed, wringing her hands – the phone flew out of her grip and smashed through the window, hitting an unsuspecting bird on the head. "Dear, you simply must to help me. I can't find my lipstick!"

"Uh..."

"My poor precious lipstick...Oh, Fuzzy Pickles!" the Magypsy cried, crouching on all fours. "No, it must be around here somewhere..."

"Where did you last leave it?"

"I don't know!" The lady (man? thing?) threw her hands up into the air in hysteria. "This is terrible! I can't be magical _WITHOUT MAKEUP!_ Whoever heard of an ugly sorceress? Oh, oh, I will be the laughingstock of humanity!"

A cherry-red glint caught Claus's eye. He bent over, gingerly snagging the cylinder up between his fingertips like it was an extremely radioactive carcinogen. "Is this what you were looking for?"

"Gimme that!" A snatch of a hand, then the man/woman/thing opened the container with a pop, slathering the glossy ink over his fine lips. "Now that's much better. Full, cherry lips and wide, dark-lashed eyes are the art of beauty, these days, ohohoho! I must keep up with the trends~❤ Tell me, Claus dear, do I look pretty to you?"

"Erm..." Claus tried very hard not to look at her/him/it (seriously, what gender was the Magypsy? He couldn't tell). "You look very...pretty."

Instantly, the Magypsy broke out into a series of loud giggles. "Darling, please. You flatter me! A tall, handsome lad like you! But of course, you wouldn't need to worry," the Magypsy fawned, enviously glancing at his hair. "What I would do to have such beautiful locks like yours~❤ Darling, you _simply_ must tell me your secret! And what stunning eyes! Oh, those gorgeous blues~❤ Do you wear colored contacts?"

Claus shuffled uncomfortably in place. "Uh...no, they're natural..."

Catching his uncomfortable gaze, the Magypsy's expression softened. She tittered, fanning her face. "I'm overwhelming you, aren't I, dear? I'm so dreadfully sorry. It's been a while since...well, since I've spoken to another person! It sounds like something my brothers would've done..." She abruptly trailed off, gazing at the walls, then fixated her gaze back to his. "By the by, I'm so awfully sorry about my rude attitude earlier. My lipstick is the most important thing to my heart, you know. I can get quite cranky without it."

"It's okay," Claus quickly said, looking around the house with interest. "So...are _you_ the Lady of the Lake?"

"Is that what they call me these days?" she asked, clapping her hands together in merriment. "Ah, yes. So it is. I go by many names, hun: The Shaman, The Peddlar, The Soothsayer...need I say more? But darling, _you_ can call me Lady Locria~❤"

"Lady Locria-"

"Actually, just Locria will do, my sweet~❤"

"All right, Locria...You wouldn't happen know how to use PSI, would you?"

The Magypsy peered at him with half-lidded eyes. "What makes you say that?" she whispered, twisting her wrist into the air; in a sparkle of iridescent gold, a breathing sunflower materialized into her palms, sunny petals open in a warm smile. The Magypsy bent over into a low bow, extending her welcome offering, and Claus hesitantly took it into his hands. "Magic is my first cousin. PSI is my blood. So cast away your doubts and speak. How can I help you, handsome?"

Jerking to startled attention, Claus dropped the sunflower into his lap. "I can't control my PSI."

"Let me see..." Locria murmured, tilting his chin up to look into his eyes. "Who told you so?"

Claus didn't remember telling him about anyone else, but regardless, decided not to reveal any names for sake of caution. "It was a...a friend," he said honestly.

"A friend?"

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

Locria withdrew, pursing her lips. "What lies has that foolish time traveler been feeding you?"

Claus blinked. "How did you know it was-"

"Dear, _please._ Giygas has many eyes and ears. You all need to be more careful. My pet Mouse has been relaying all sorts of juicy gossip to me for quite a while, and my, oh, my, that was when I wasn't even trying to spy~"

The white mouse flashed in Claus's memory. "It _spied_ on us?"

"_R__ude._ He prefers to be called a _he_ than an _it_, darling," the Magypsy sniffed. "Children these days...for shame! Tell me, dear, would _you_ like to be called an _it_?"

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to be-"

The Magypsy interrupted his flustering with a high-pitched titter. "That's more like it, sweetie! Oh, you spoil this Old Shaman so~❤"

Shaman.

_Shaman._

The name finally clicked in his memory.

**_"...Seven Needles. The Shaman mentioned that the tremendous power needed to pull a Needle stems straight from the heart, which explains why only PK Love users are destined for such a task..."_**

"You worked for Giygas. YOU told him the Legend of the Seven Needles."

"Yes, and yes." The Magypsy looked mildly surprised. "Where on earth did you hear that, dear?"

"Giygas wrote a journal. The page was a total mess, but it mentioned you as an accomplice. That means..." Claus instantly backed away, his chair clattering into the dust. "Who are you?!" he demanded, power pouring into his fingers. "Wait, no..._you're_ the other spy Giygas warned Ninten about!"

"Am I?" Locria sighed tiredly. "Giygas refers to all of his minions as spies. It's rather annoying, but who am I to argue? Here, sweet, do take a seat-Oh, and stop it with the face! I learn from my mistakes. I bailed~❤"

Claus's face hardened. "I don't-"

"Trust you?" Locria finished pleasantly. "Well, I can't say that I'm not surprised, dear. The only person you'd ever trust wholeheartedly is your brother."

"That's not true."

"Oh, darling, you are too _adorable~❤_ You try to store away your emotions, yet I find you a tad too predictable. Throw me a lifeline, sweetie; the only person you do get along with at all is your own twin! Well, I'd say that you do have a few friends here and there, but in your eyes, none of them are quite like your sweet little brother. Tell me, sugar. Look into my eyes. Am I lying?"

His words had hit the mark; Unnerved, Claus's throat suddenly clogged up with emotion, and trembling, he gripped his fists, keeping them balled at his side.

Inclining her head, Locria smiled knowingly. "Your actions speak louder than your words. Ever since you were born, you've always been there for him, haven't you? You say you might've not been the best older brother, but darling, you care about him. You still do."

"Is that a threat?" Claus asked in a dangerously quiet tone.

Clucking her tongue, the Magypsy puckered her lips to apply more lipstick, then dabbed mascara onto her features. "A threat? Why, of course not! I think it's all very sweet~❤"

"I swear, if you lay a finger on him-"

"Ohoho, it looks like big brother is a little tense! Relax, dear. I don't bite! Here, why don't you take a break? Take a short trip down Memory Lane~❤"

Before Claus could say anything else, the Magypsy blew a slow ring of hallucinogenic smoke right into his face and whisked him straight into wonderland.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I don't really have life stories to share this time round. Seriously, it's just me doing, you know, normal life stuff. Okay, maybe ****last Monday my roommates tried to tie my bedroom door shut with scotch tape. ****So basically, nothing happened. ;)**

**Also, guess who got a free bike? Yaaaas *Cue Earthbound bike song***

**Thanks for being patient with the long ~2 month hiatus! To compensate, I'll try to have Chapter 30 up sometime next week, preferably Wednesday/Saturday (wow I know, first weekly update in a while haha!). But Life sometimes happens, and editing takes a long time when each chapter is 12,000+ words. The next chapter will be just as long...and hopefully just as exciting. ^_^ We'll see.**

**Onto your reviews :)**

**SunnyStrikerz**: AWW YEAH I LOVE FEELS! :D *Starts dishing out feels* Feels for everybody!

**Shimo no ko**: Oh no. A pun! My greatest weakness! XD And hmm...maybe BuzzBuzz does have different motives. Who knows? I, for one, certainly don't. ;) And pshh foreshadowing what's _that_ haha I would _never...!_ ;D And gurl, I feel about the Shakespeare! I had to take an English class this semester (English class is the bane of my existence!) and we had to read over _Richard III, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night's dream, Macbeth, Winter's Tale, The Merchant of Venice._ I was secretly glad we didn't need to read _Romeo and Juliet_, because I think once in highschool is enough...even though it had some winning lines.

**Ender2142**: OMG I'm sorry for the long wait! DX I felt really, really bad that I wasn't able to update my chapter in the usual monthly fashion, but hopefully Chapter 30 next week should make up for it. ;) And dude, no worries; thanks for putting in the time to write a review. :) I know that time can take the best of us, and I really appreciate that you tried ^_^

**FalconerET**: Duuude, I hope you're feeling less stressed now. :) I think it's been a really busy year for everyone. 2016 aint too kind to us poor souls. D: And thank you! Yeah, I actually got the "not eating when stressed" reference from my brother; when he gets upset, he rarely shows it, so we have to recognize his mood shifts based on behavior like appetite loss, how many times he smiled that day, etc. To be honest, I wasn't very satisfied with the dialogue last chapter, so I added a few more details to make things sound more realistic. :) And yeah, I love writing convos between Lucas and Claus. It makes my day less angsty hahaha! And who knows? Maybe I'm trolling everyone and nobody will die! Yeeeeeeeah

**HelixConundrum**: Brotherly fluff is best fluff? ABSOLUTELY. Here's +10 cool points to you, buddy. FALCON YES! Haha all joking aside, yeah...me sorry. :c The angst is real. I'm a terrible person.

**IncomingPenguins**: Oh my pork, stahp it, you. XD I'm really glad that you're enjoying the story so far; tbh, writing is my weak point, so by working on this story, I'm hoping to improve my skills. But thank you very much~ Making you happy makes me happy ^_^

And OH SNAP. BRINGING OUT THEM QUOTES.

Wow. You actually took the time to write the quotes out and...wow. I feel flattered. XD Thank you, dear reader. But oh no...you're onto me! That can't be allowed, nosiree. Umm...hey, look over there! A cool, shiny...DISTRACTION!

*run run run*

**ConnorTheNerd**: Hey Nerd. I changed your username. ;)

jk jk Nerds are cool. But yeah, I can tell you more about my research through PM because it's all really boring and stuff. Trust me, I doubt anyone wants to hear about how I used a eudiometer to collect hydrogen gas and did all sorts of mole conversions. XD

Yeah lol you kill off a lot of your characters. A lot. God dang it, Connor why why do you make us attached to characters only to kill them off?! Ugh. Now I don't know who to root for because the next thing you know, you'll be like, "Oh look, he got le stabbed oh noooo" and I will bite my lip to hold back manly tears.

AND HOORAY CRITICISM! You and PSIBoy pointed out a few things that I figured I should change. :) To be honest though, the repetitive feeling in Chapter 28 between Claus and BuzzBuzz was used to serve as a plot driver (and also as a refresher after those random interlude chapters). ;) To be frank (heh heh), I didn't really like some of the dialogue between Lucas and Claus last chapter, so I added a few things to it to make it more realistic. But yeah, English ._. Why is writing so hard Connor why

My chapters usually tend to be long because (a) I cram too much miscellaneous detail or (b) I try to stretch out the dialogue to ease conversation into the topic of interest. I know a lot of writers who excel at dialogue (comes naturally to their fingers, etc.), but yeah...I am not one of those people. :( I need to shift my dialogue all the time because sometimes it sometimes bothers me. But yeah, I'll try to cut down when I can. :)

**Plushiepaw**: Thank you~ I am finally a writer...in the science community. XD I think writing fantasy is so much harder, because it usually tends to be less formal and...English. T_T

And DID YOU SAY BROTHERLY FLUFF?! +10 cool points to you too! Haha yeah, in my mind, Ninten is 13, the twins 14, and Ness 15. I don't know. I assigned them values based on people in my highschool freshman bio class. XD Random source hahaha. And yes, I can't imagine the twins being able to fight for real at first because it's just so _absurd_. They can't take it seriously. Maybe it's just me; I don't know. But I feel like it's one thing to say, "Punch the daylight out of yo enemies" vs "hey go beat up yo mama." Not that some brothers won't be happy to take a swing at their brother just because, but I feel like with the relationship/backstories I carved between the twins in this story, it wouldn't work out. Family makes a difference. ^_^

Yeah that was some serious talk Lucas and BuzzBuzz had. :x And as for if will Claus and the others will find out...We'll see. ;)

Yep, you never know. I could be trolling the readers hehehe. Maybe nobody will die. Maybe it's all a CONSPIRACY. :O Illuminati confirmed!

**Guest**: And I thank you for reading my fanfic! I write to entertain, dear Guest. ^_^ Welcome back~ *Throws party*

**PSIBoy**: Wow, a reader. WHO ARE YOUUUU?!

Haha, I kid. And no, your memory is not failing you. Fassad is/is not tracking the boys down. And belting out my favorite phrase: Who knows? ;) Thanks for enjoying the side characters...I didn't think I made them as diverse as I hoped haha. And I'm glad you liked BuzzBuzz's little spiel; I thought it was a little over the top, but oh well. Engleesh

NO I WILL PLAY WITH YOU EMOTIONS AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME *pelters you with feels*

OMG No! I totally understand! :) I feel like Claus is a...difficult character to judge. Everyone either likes him, or hates him, and it makes sense, because he has such a strong personality. Usually, I have to double check my chapters to make sure that he stays grounded (a.k.a. not overly jerky, not overly brash, etc.). But as long as he's understandable (kindof), I'm okay with that. :) If not...then yeah, there's a problem with my writing somewhere. *cries*

Duly noted. Nothing much happened, plot-wise. :) But Chapter 28 had a good reason to bring out his rather...unpleasant...traits; and the reason for that is for Chapter 30. ^_^ I won't specify anything~

**Jkoopa**: Thank you thank you~ And hey, this is your first review? :D Well, welcome to Fanfiction! That's pretty brave of you haha. I didn't start reviewing until ~3 years after I created my account. Shoutout to my insecure highschool self. XD Ooh I get readers from all around the world; no worries, you don't feel out of place. :) Seriously though, you Canadians have such wonderful healthcare programs. It's a topic we discuss in some of my med-related college classes. XD And ayyy high school! Well, be rest assured that you will not develop superpowers and journey on a quest to save the world. ;) But yeah, welcome to the site, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story ^_^

**C. S. Alvarez**: Thank you! ^_^ I'll try to keep it up in my other chapters~


	30. Aria of Unease

**Author's Note:**

**Moving A/N up top for dramatic effect. Sorry for the inconvenience. :c**

**So...mistakes. ****Minor ones, but here goes:**

**(1) I keep switching up LifeUp and Healing. Along with PSI Shield and Shield. I didn't know that "Shield" was a thing until I started playing Mother 3 yesterday. I stopped at TaneTane Island; Sadly, I don't think I can finish the game any time soon - gotta study for the MCAT hahaha! - but I wished I'd played this game sooner; I jotted down some references I could add further into the story, but nope nope nope**

**(2) A lot of you caught me on this one. Last chapter, I meant to write that Claus has a Driver's Permit, not a Driver's License. As for the fact that's it's technically illegal for minors to drive alone in late hours with a permit...Onett's police force is corrupt. That, and rebellious boys breaking dem rules. :x Seriously, though, don't do this in real life. You can go to prison. It's not worth having a jail history on your personal record.**

**Check?  
****No problem here.****  
**

**A Polar Bear:** Thanks! I'll do my best. As for how the characters will grow...We'll see :)

**Shimo no ko:** Well, I dunno, who would you trust? ;) And ehehehe...so about the driving license, I think I mean to write "driving permit." I'll fix that. :) And technically while driving alone at those late hours with a permit should be illegal, where I'm from, plenty of people did it. I'm lameo - got my permit after graduating highschool - but yeah, don't do that. If you get caught, you can go to jail. :x Please don't go to jail because of me. And YES I loved writing the forest animal dialogue! It was strangely stress-relieving.

**JKoopa:** Heyhey! :D Yeah, this site isn't like Facebook, where you need an account to respond. Personally, I only own an account to write my fics and exchange PMs, but if you ever feel like writing in the Earthbound fandom, it's great practice. :) I know certain fandoms have a certain stigma attached to it (I've heard a few things about the Glee section... :x), so you just have to be careful where you post, but yeah. And yep, Claus's emotional problems are probably going to get him into trouble...probably. Who knows? :x

**Connor The Speling Pro:** Wow. You weren't lying when you said you wrote a large review. O_O But yeah, I'll get down to dissecting it. ;) The forest animal scene was my favorite to write last chapter. It was something that instantly catered to my voice, unlike my dialogue. My dialogue is usually me scribbling down quotes I hear from my friends or phrases I come up with on the spot, so I guess I have something like a...dialogue bank? Then I try to fit the quote into the desired mood, then impromptu write from there. If the dialogue flows, great. If not, I erase and re-write. It's a tedious process, but it works. Perks of an asocial life! Haha yeah, I partly made Claus forget who the Shaman was, mostly because it's been a while since I've updated, and I don't know how much people remember. XD So think of it as a refresher for people who've forgotten.

Wooo, more Claus mopey time! And yeah, the past chapters have been lacking a sense of urgency. Don't worry; I gotchu, buddy! :) The problem is that Claus's "mopey time" is rising action to kick-start the sense of urgency in chapter 30. It's hard to tell nowadays because I update so slowly, but don't get me wrong; you're right. I do have a slower action pace than most writers because I tend to milk out the sentimental parts, and pacing is something I definitely need to work on haha. Oh boy. XD OMFG no keep the criticism going! I need good feedback to write personal statements for my Med School Apps (jk jk)! Speaking of which goddamn it I'll finally get to reviewing Ceres this weekend too; I'm already behind by two chapters noooo, but the plus side is that I had more to read. ;) Catch you then.

**Plushiepaw:** WOOO You go, girl! *Throws confetti* FREEDOM AT LAST! Thanks for reviewing as always, and I hope you did well on your finals. ;)

Angst? Aaayyy buddy, you've come to the right place. Welcome my lair! Surprisingly, choosing the aromas of PK Healing (LifeUp? Ugh, I think I meant Healing, but I should double-check) was just something I threw in for fun. Appeals to the senses, you know? :) The fact that they were all foods was coincidence; I tried to match a scent to the person's personality. And LOL Ness being Overprotective brother 2.0 is partially true; I realized that everybody besides Lucas is an older sibling. And Thanks! Yeah, I did mention that Claus and Ninten got along pretty well, but I never put a REAL passage with them. It's about time haha :) AND ACK. You caught me too; I meant to write Permit instead of License, even thought technically driving with a permit in late hours alone is illegal. Claus and Ninten breaking dem rules. :x For shame boys, fo shame. And hahaha I LOVED the dragos in-game!

**[INSERT APPROPRIATE DISCLAIMER HERE]**

* * *

The land of memories was a mysterious place.

Surreal, yet real. Flawed, yet flawless.

The greatest treasure of the human mind.

Waving off the cotton-candy puffs of smoke, Claus coughed, trying to adjust to his bearings, but quickly realized that there was no need.

He was home.

A pang of nostalgia pricked his eyes. The farmhouse looked the same as it did a decade ago. The bright yellow fence happily arched around his house, enclosing it like a pair of warm hands.

Claus inhaled deeply. The summer breeze, tinged with warm sunflowers and baked goods, encouraged him to step through the inviting doorway into the cozy kitchen.

Whispered conversation. A child's laugh.

Soft rosy cloth curled across his fingers before Claus recognized the bearer of the dress.

"Mom?" he whispered, suddenly afraid. Slowly, as if not believing his eyes, Claus reached a tentative hand out, but the cloth sailed through his trembling fingers like a mirage, forgotten and not meant to be. Claus stood, vaguely registering her cater and fuss over her two sons by the oak table, and felt as though he were miles away watching the scene through a stranger's eyes.

_"Lucas, eat your carrots."_

_"Duhwuna."_

_"Veggies are good for you. Eat them. They're not that bad...Look! Even Claus is eating them."_

_With a whimper, Lucas scooted away, shaking his head. "I dun like carrots."_

_Meeting the brick wall head-on, Hinawa furiously racked her brains for a solution to the dilemma. It wasn't the first time Lucas refused to eat something; while Claus for the most part shoveled in anything he could get his hands on, Lucas was an extremely picky eater, even going as far not to eat food that didn't look familiar. Once, he had even refused to eat an omelet to Hinawa's own confusion, and it wasn't later until she realized that he had been off-put by the sudden appearance of Sesame Seeds._

_Scooping up the spoonful of carrots, Hinawa decided on the playful route, making all sorts of whooshing noises and gestures. Wide-eyed in rapture, Lucas watched in childish awe as the makeshift airplane flew into the air._

_"Peeeew, look, Lucas, it's an airplane! Open up! Yum, yum."_

_Yet Lucas turned his head away. "Dun want to," he mumbled, scooting away._

_Hinawa stubbornly set the spoon into the untouched bowl. "Lucas, eat the carrots."_

_"No."_

_"Do you want me to tell dad? Do you want me to bring him in?"_

_Frightened, Lucas wildly shook his head._

"_Then_ _eat." But it just wasn't in her nature to force the poor child to eat; the stern look in Hinawa's eyes wavered, and with a defeated sigh, she ruffled his soft hair. "Lucas, carrots are good for your eyes. You have pretty eyes. We don't want them going bad, do we?"_

_"Mom! I'M DONE!" Five-year-old Claus yelled, gleefully pushing his empty bowl into the table._

_Hinawa bent over, smooching the elder twin on the head. "Good job, Claus!" she encouraged not unkindly, picking up the empty bowl to wash it into the sink. "Claus finished his food like a good boy. Are you a good boy, Lucas?"_

_Lucas bit his lip, then kicked his legs, swinging them under the table. "...Yes."_

_"Then once you finish your carrots, you can play outside with your brother."_

_Claus popped up beside him. "Lucas! Hurry up and eat your carrots!"_

_With a long suffering sigh, Lucas glumly poked at the carrots. To his credit, Lucas braved a mouthful. Still, the terrible, dry taste lingered on his tongue, and swallowing it down with difficulty, Lucas pushed the bowl aside._

_Noticing that his twin wasn't eating, Claus plopped back into his seat, curiously cocking a head. "Why aren't you eating?"_

_"I don't like carrots."_

_"I like carrots!" Claus said, waving his hands excitedly. "They taste good!"_

_"Can you eat them for me?" Lucas asked, leaning forward hopefully._

_"Well…I guess I could..." Claus's face slowly turned into a frown of concern. "But mom's right. You should eat the carrots," he decided, unusually sticking to the rules. Noticing that his younger brother wasn't eating, Claus patted him clumsily on the head, then picked up a spoonful of carrots, eagerly jabbing them into his face. "Eat!"_

_Then to Hinawa's surprise, Lucas quietly opened his mouth. Caught by the moment, Hinawa turned the faucet off, watching the elder twin feed his younger sibling. True to his word, Claus stayed firm that Lucas ate all his food, and even more surprisingly, not a single complaint passed through Lucas's lips throughout the entire ordeal._

_As soon as Lucas had swallowed the last mouthful, Claus gave a loud, victorious yell, dashing towards towards her with the spoon in hand. "NO MORE CARROTS!"_

_Sniffling, Lucas slowly plodded over, pushing his bowl into the sink. Alarmed, Hinawa bent down, wiping his tears away with a sleeve. "Lucas, what's wrong?"_

_Bottom lip wobbling, Lucas sadly looked up in the perfect picture of innocence. "I don't like carrots..."_

_Looking terribly guilty, Hinawa nodded, rubbing soothing circles into his back. "I'm sorry. Mommy's sorry, okay? We ran out of other vegetables, and I promise, I won't make you eat plain mashed carrots again..."_

_"I LIKE CARROTS!" Claus yelled again, sprinting around the kitchen like a half-possessed demon-child, and Hinawa quickly scooped up the hyper child before he could accidentally break anything. Giggling, Claus squirmed in her grip, trying to break free, and Hinawa brought him close to nuzzle his hair._

_"Where do you think you're going, carrot-boy?" she joked, releasing him, and with a squeal of joy, Claus began dancing around on his bare feet._

**-o0o-**

_"Dish shtuff tashes gud."_

_"What is it?"_

_Claus swallowed down his food. "Omelet!"_

_Lucas warily eyed the yellow fluffy egg on his plate. He poked it with his spoon. It wobbled unnaturally. Freaked out, Lucas scooted back. "It looks weird..."_

_"It's good," Claus insisted, taking a big scoop from his own plate._

_"...Really?"_

_"Yeah. Really good." Claus lifted his spoon towards him. "Try it."_

_Lucas quietly leaned forward to take a bite. He chewed slowly, then swallowed. "It's delicious," he admitted, picking out a piece of potato salad from another dish. "Claus?"_

_"Hmm?" Noticing the offered spoon, Claus leaned forward, chomping down on the mouthful of food. Blue eyes burst wide open, rolling up to the back of his head in tastebud heaven. "Mmmrhmmgoodtoo."_

_Lucas giggled, and Hinawa arrived setting two more dishes of omelet onto the table. "What are you two troublemakers giggling about?" she teased lightly, nudging her face to theirs._

_Claus smirked. "Lucas is a sissy."_

_"Am not!" Lucas cried, perking up in his seat._

_"Is too."_

_"Am not!"_

_"Is too!"_

_"Don't call your brother a sissy." Hinawa gave a smirk identical to her eldest son's, then teasingly ruffled Lucas's hair. "He's OUR sissy."_

_Claus laughed loudly, doubling over to clutch his stomach, and Lucas looked visibly distraught._

_"I'm not a sissy!" Lucas clamored, turning around in mortification when Claus began to laugh harder. Dismayed, Lucas faced his mother with wide, betrayed eyes. "I'm not!"_

_"Of course, you're not, dear," Hinawa said sweetly, dabbing his face with a napkin. "Lucas is not a sissy."_

_From underneath his mother's arm, Claus caught Lucas's eye and mouthed, "Sissy."_

_Before Lucas could enact his revenge by pouting, Flint sauntered in with a yawn. "Mmm...something smells good."_

_"OMELETS!" Claus shouted, pointing gleefully at the plates._

_"And so it is," Flint affirmed, curling his arms around his wife's shoulders._

_Laughing, Hinawa swatted his arms off. "Ew, go away!"_

_"...Hmm?" Carefully, Flint sniffed his hands. "What?"_

_"Don't you "what" me with that tone, mister! Did you go out drinking with Lighter again?"_

_"Shhh, you're breaking the mood," Flint murmured, lowering his head to softly peck her hair. Mouth half-full with omelet, Claus twisted his features into a frown of disgust._

_"Lucas! Look!" Claus hissed, jabbing his twin in the side. Importantly gathering his twin's attention, he pointed at the scandalizing scene with utmost conviction. "KISSING."_

_"Not again!" Lucas wailed, covering his eyes in equal discomfort, and Claus joined him, caterwauling the entire time._

_"Don't you boys get started on me," Hinawa said, waggling her finger. "Claus, when you were a baby, you used to kiss Lucas all the time."_

_Both twins blanched, turning to face each other in shock._

_"He did?"_

_"NO, I DIDN'T!"_

_Hinawa laughed at the horrified expression on Claus's face. Bending over, she cheerfully snagged Claus's ear with her fingers. "Oh, yes, you did. ALL THE TIME. Sometimes, you'd even smooch him on the cheek whenever he got upset and-"_

_"EWWW!" Claus yelled, pushing Lucas to the side, and making a face, Lucas shoved him back._

_"No shoving at the table," Flint said without looking up from his newspaper._

_"He's right, kids," Hinawa said, placing her hands on her hips and pretending to sound stern. "No shoving at the table. Bad boys."_

_"MOM! I never kissed ANYONE!"_

_"Really?" Lucas said thoughtfully. "Last week, you kissed mom's booboo-"_

_"NO, I DIDN'T!"_

_Finally, Flint glanced up from his newspaper. "Hinawa, stop traumatizing the kids."_

_"Hypocrite," she said, poking him in the cheek. "You need to relax and learn how to have fun!"_

_"All right then. Claus, stop kissing your brother."_

_"I NEVER KISSED HIM!" Claus shouted angrily, sounding like he was on the verge of tears. Highly offended by the accusation, he furiously waved his fists into the air. "I didn't, I didn't, I DIDN'T!"_

_"Okay, so you didn't," Hinawa said gently, evaporating his disgruntled remarks with a soothing hand. "Momma's just kidding."_

_"There's nothing wrong about kissing," Flint added absentmindedly, turning a page in the newspaper. "Kissing is a right of passage. One day, you'll find someone you like, and you'll want to kiss them too-"_

_"I won't kiss anyone. Ever." Looking absolutely determined about his conviction, Claus sniffed in disdain, crossing his arms. "Kissing is for girls. And Lucas."_

_Lucas looked absolutely miffed. "I don't kiss people!" he insisted._

_Claus raised his spoon. "You kissed a frog yesterday-"_

_"You did too!"_

_"Nuh-uh! I licked it," he said proudly._

_Lucas scrunched his nose. "That's gross."_

_Claus poked his arm. "You're gross."_

_"Dummy."_

_"You're a dummy."_

_"Don't call your brother a dummy, Claus."_

_"But he started it!"_

_Internally chastised, Lucas shrank into his seat. "Sorry, dad."_

_"All the same," Flint rumbled, throwing a disapproving look at his elder son. "You should learn a thing or two about good manners from your brother."_

_Claus scowled, then crossed his arms in defiance, promptly proceeding to ignore Lucas for the rest of breakfast._

_Stupid Lucas, always causing stupid trouble all the time._

**-o0o-**

_"Claus, I don't think that this is a good idea."_

_"Of course, it is. Now lean a little more to the left, will you?"_

_Lucas winced, teetering under his brother's weight. "But mom said no."_

_"Mom won't mind!" Claus said impatiently, reaching for the blue, porcelain jar. "She said "don't eat the cookies," remember? So I'm only gonna eat one."_

_"It's not right," Lucas insisted._

_"But I'm hungry. Aren't you?"_

_Lucas paused. "Yeah..."_

_"Then I'll pull out a cookie, and we can split it. Mom wouldn't mind," Claus continued firmly, fumbling for the kitchen cabinet. "She wouldn't want us to be hungry."_

_"Okay," Lucas groaned, struggling against the kitchen counter. "But only one. Hurry up, you're heavy!"_

Volume failed Claus, and he watched his younger self mouth something back in response. The memory turned wispy, obscuring the scene in a haze before resurfacing in a bout of color and voices.

_"Mom?"_

_"Mhmm?"_

_"Why is Claus in the corner?"_

_"Claus ate the cookies I baked for Tessie," Hinawa said in a curt tone of disapproval. "He's getting a time-out."_

_Lucas fidgeted, playing with his hands. "I ate one too," he confessed, shooting an unusually silent Claus a nervous side-glance._

_"But you didn't plan to eat any, did you?" Eyes softening, Hinawa ruffled his hair. "Claus just needs to know that we're being serious. He won't stay there for long, Lucas."_

_Lowering his eyes to the ground in shame, Lucas nodded._

_"Go play outside," Hinawa encouraged, gently nudging him to the side._

_Hesitating, Lucas teetered to the door, then stopped to throw an anxious gaze at his brother's back. Claus didn't seem to notice, quietly drooping over in the corner and wallowing in sinking misery. Sneaking another glance at his mother (who was still busy with the dishes), Lucas cautiously edged sideways, scooting closer on his hands and knees._

_"Claus...?"_

_Claus only shifted in response, visibly wilting at his twin's voice._

_Sprawling onto the ground, Lucas rested his chin against the floor. "I'm bored. Come play."_

_"I can't," Claus mumbled, pushing his brother away. "I'm in trouble."_

_Lucas paused, then snuggled closer._

_Once again, Claus shoved him aside, curling up closer against the corner. "Lucas, go away."_

_"But I'm lonely."_

_"Lucas, I'm in big trouble. You heard mom. I'm stuck in the corner."_

_There was another pause as Lucas mulled over this, then suddenly plopped next to him in a crouch. "What if I stay in the corner with you?"_

_Claus hesitated. As tempting as the offer was, he shook his head, trying to dissuade his brother. "No," he decided, pushing Lucas in the direction of the door. "It's not fun in the corner."_

_"I don't care," Lucas added firmly, stubbornly latching to his side like glue. "I'm staying here."_

_It didn't take Hinawa long to notice both of her sons conversing in the corner. Sighing, Hinawa walked over, lifting her youngest son up into the air. "Lucas, you can't speak to Claus while he's in the corner-"_

_Alarmingly, Lucas burst into tears, clawing forward in desperate abandon. "No! No, no-"_

_"No!" Claus wailed, latching onto his airborne twin. "No, no, no-"_

_Startled by their vehement reaction, Hinawa instantly paused, lowering Lucas down, and without wasting a second, the younger twin scurried back to his brother's open arms. Shuffling backwards, Claus enfolded his brother into his arms, hugging him protectively, then looked up at Hinawa with frightened eyes._

_Caught by shocked disbelief, Hinawa stared at them for a good second before suddenly caving into a tinkling laugh. Both twins fell silent, watching her with wide eyes, but Hinawa leaned over, delicately sitting into a crouch. "I can't tear you two apart, can I?" she said softly. "Oh, why must you break my heart?"_

_In response, Claus instinctively gripped Lucas tighter with a small whimper, and Lucas hugged him back, looking equally scared and apprehensive._

**-o0o-**

_"Lucas. Wake up! I wanna play!"_

_"Dun wanna."_

_"Luuuuuuuuuuucas~" Dissolving into a fit of giggles, Claus dived straight into the puffy mattress. Popping his head out of the fluffy covers with a boyish grin, he squealed in hyperactive joy, throwing a happy fit against his disgruntled twin's back. "Lucas, Lucas, Lucas-"_

_Scrunching his eyes shut, Lucas promptly turned over, burying himself into a tight cocoon of blankets. Only the soft tuft of his blond hair peeked out at the top._

_"Mooooooom!" Claus moaned, shaking his unresponsive twin in vain. "Lucas isn't getting uuuuuuuuup!"_

_Hinawa paused, opening the windows. The morning breeze fluttered around her soft brown hair as she leaned over the sill. "Flint!" she called out, her voice a high, bright note amidst twittering lark-song. "Your lazy son's still sleeping in bed!"_

_"He's your son too," Flint groaned, stepping out of the outdoor shed._

_"Could've fooled me," Hinawa teased slyly, bopping his nose with her wooden ladle. "I woke him up yesterday. Now go wake Lucas up."_

_Shaking his head with a smile, Flint sauntered in, only pausing to hang his hat on the hook by the counter. Lying sprawled on his back over his poor, flattened brother, Claus peered up with a wide grin, clapping his hands in glee. "Dad! Daaad!"_

_"Go on. Git up, you troublemaker," Flint rumbled, scooping Claus up into the air._

_Laughing, Claus wildly waved his arms around. "Fweeeeee!"_

_"Fly," Flint corrected, tossing him into the air. "Fly."_

_"Fwwwweeeeeeeeeeee!"_

_Lowering the hyper kid onto the wooden floor (who instantly ran off squealing to who knows where), Flint poked his youngest son in the side. "Come on, little man. It's morning."_

_Opening his soft, pink lips wide open in a sleepy yawn, Lucas pushed himself up...then slumped back into the bed with a soft poof of bedsheets. "Mmmph."_

_"Had a nice night?"_

_Sleepily rubbing his eyes with tiny fists, Lucas blearily nodded, looking half-dazed. "Good morning."_

_"Luuuuucas! Lucas, look at meeee!" Claus chirped excitedly, dancing around in clumsy circles before falling onto the floor with an oomph._

_Lucas laughed._

_"You heard your brother, Claus," Flint said mock-sternly, pulling the dazed twin back onto his teetering feet. "Remember your manners. What do you say when you get up in the morning?"_

_Mirroring his twin's laugh, Claus looked up with mischievous eyes. "No."_

_"No?" Flint growled playfully, making a swipe for the elder twin, and squealing, Claus darted off into the kitchen. "You rascal, it's GOOD MORNING! Now come back and say good morning!"_

_"Moooom!" Giggling, Claus hid behind his mother's dress, peering out with wide eyes. "Help me! Mom!"_

_Murmuring, Hinawa gently caressed his hair. "Go on, sweetie. Go tell your father good morning."_

_"No!"_

_Sagging his shoulders in a pout, Flint visibly sulked, and Claus giggled again before flouncing off. "My own son doesn't like me," the farmer lamented, turning around to face Lucas with sad doe eyes._

_Taking the hint, Lucas eagerly stumbled over on tiny feet. "I love you, mommy," he chirped, hugging Hinawa's dress, and Hinawa giggled, meeting her husband's betrayed face with a cheeky look of her own._

_"It's not my fault that I'm the Family Favorite," Hinawa smirked, stirring the pot of beef stew as Lucas toddled off to join his twin._

_Flint let out a good-natured chuckle, then wrapped his arms around her waist to nuzzle her hair. "Of course, you're the favorite. You'll always be my favorite," he growled, blowing a raspberry against the back of her neck, and Hinawa burst out laughing, shoving him aside._

_"Stop that!"_

_"Keep goin'? All right-"_

_"Flint!"_

_Excited babbling reached their ears, and Flint gently loosened his grip, feeling Hinawa turn around. "Flint," she whispered urgently, staring back at him with wide, shining eyes. "The kids...!"_

_Trailing her gaze with his own eyes, Flint glanced backwards just in time to watch Claus clumsily peck Lucas on the cheek._

_Lucas made a face, wiping his cheek with his sleeve. "Hmmmruuu...?"_

_Disgruntled by the rejection, Claus frowned back, mirroring his expression. "Hmmmruuu!"_

_"Dadada," Lucas chimed, stumbling over to Flint and leaving his twin to sulk alone. "Datidum."_

_Hinawa exchanged a worried look with her husband. "I don't know if we should visit the pediatrician sometime soon...they're already three and a half, and Lucas still can't pronunciate properly..."_

_"I wouldn't worry," Flint murmured, patting a babbling Lucas by the back. "They won't start school until next year. He has time. Don't you, Lucas?"_

_"Badida. Kyyaaah~"_

_"Lucas, you shouldn't leave your brother out like that," Hinawa rebuked gently, nudging Lucas to his disgruntled twin. With his back turned, Claus grumpily faced the wall. "Go on. Hug Claus. Hug your big brother."_

_Lucas happily outstretched his arms. "Claude...hugoo!"_

_"No."_

_"Clauuus-"_

_Claus stubbornly crossed his arms in a pout. "No!"_

_Lucas tried to hug him again, but this time, Claus shoved him back a little too hard. Toppling over, Lucas bumped onto the floor and instantly began to bawl, bursting into tears. Trying not to laugh, Hinawa scooped the wailing toddler up into her waiting arms. "Claus certainly takes after certain someone," Hinawa joked, trying to calm her crying son down._

_Shaking his head, Flint crouched down, poking a guilty-looking Claus in the stomach. "Hey, big guy, you can't do that to your own brother. Go apologize."_

_Claus looked up with wide blue eyes. "Woocus sad?"_

_"Yes, Lucas is very sad. Give him a hug."_

_Approaching hesitantly, Claus stumbled over to his crying brother. "Luuucas!" he whined, tugging at his brother's shirt. "Lucas, lemme hugoo!"_

_Sniffling, Lucas carefully peeked out of his mother's comforting arms. "Hugoo?"_

_"Big hugoo," Claus affirmed, proceeding to glomp the air out of his brother's lungs._

_"There we go." Watching the twins make up, Hinawa relaxed her shoulders, letting out a long sigh of relief. "Sometimes, I'm afraid to leave them alone for even a second, because you turn around and one of them's crying again, or the other's causing mischief all over the house...!"_

_"They'll grow out of it," Flint reassured, gently entwining his fingers with hers. He carefully watched the twins, who had thankfully returned to playing with their plastic dinosaur figurines without incident. "They'll do great things together...Claus and Lucas."_

_Soft light alighting on her features, Hinawa's eyes shone with unspoken happiness. "I know they will," she whispered, fondly curling her hand atop of his. "They're perfect for each other."_

_Flint gently kissed her warm hair. "And whatever happens, that'll never change."_

**.**

**.**

**-o0o-**

**.**

**.**

With a soft sigh, the mist faded.

Something wet tickled his cheek, and numbly, Claus brought his hand to his eye, only to recoil in shock. Torn by a mixture of disbelief, he could only stare at the Magypsy, who merely raised his eyebrows in response.

"Tears. A common symptom of memory regurgitation." The Magypsy gently offered him a box. "Tissue, dear?"

Claus shook his head, rubbing the moisture out of his eyes. "You didn't need to do that," he muttered, but all the hostility in his voice seemed to have vanished, leaving his voice sounding horribly hoarse and lonely. Uncertain and confused, Claus ducked his head in mortification, feeling a deep flush spread across his cheeks.

The Magypsy broke the silence, tapping the teapot once. It boiled with a cheerful whistle, hot steam shooting out of its spout, then poured itself a generous heaping of chamomile. "Tea, dear?"

Claus shook his head, staring at his hands.

Locria delicately stirred milk into her tea, then set it on a china platter. "Now that we've calmed down, let us talk a little."

"Giygas wants to destroy the world."

"Wrong." The Magypsy airily lifted the teacup to her lips. "Giygas doesn't want to _destroy_ the world. He wants to _reshape_ it. Wants to bring his _dear_ mother back to life." She let out a titter. "Wouldn't you do the same in his shoes?"

Claus's eyes turned cold. "I'm nothing like Giygas."

"Would you condemn the man for doing anything for the one person he loved most dearly?"

"Even before we were a threat, he tried to hurt my brother." Claus's voice was unsteady, shaking with emotion. "Lucas was hospitalized for a week. I thought he was going to die. You can't expect me to like Giygas."

Locria pursed her lips, then set the teacup down onto his lap. "Don't judge Giygas too harshly, dear. I doubt the man's even aware of his own conscience half the time."

Claus paused, looking up. "What do you mean?"

"Giygas was a very different man back in the old days. Ohoho, he happens to be a good former client of mine~❤"

"Giygas was your client?" Claus asked, surprised. "Then you must have known him for a while."

"Oho, I didn't just _know_ him. We were the best of _friends_. ❤"

"So you knew him before he became a nutcase."

The Magypsy's lips curled into a sly grin. "Claus, you cheeky boy!" he admonished, bopping him in the head. "You shouldn't say such vile things with that sweet mouth of yours!"

Grimacing at the sickly-sweet tone, Claus rubbed his head. "Sorry. Can you tell me more about him?"

The Magypsy paused. "It's a breach of privacy for me to reveal my transactions with previous customers," she said with a wink. "But as far as you know, dear-"

"My lips are sealed."

The Magypsy beamed at him. "Excellent! Well, to understand my little fairy-tale…have you ever wondered why Giygas is one of the only oddities in his generation?"

"You mean psychic?"

"Yes, dear~❤"

Claus paused. Now that he thought about it, he had to admit that it was odd. "No..."

"Well, that's what I'm here for, silly~❤" Locria laughed, bopping him affectionately on the forehead. "Years ago, there was a nasty epidemic in Fourside. Highly contagious. Deadly to psychics! Giygas was an orphan under the care of George, yes? All that experimentation must have altered his genome, making him immune to the disease."

"Experimentation?"

"Yes," Locria said tersely. "Experimentation. Abuse. Whatever. Take your pick. Then, I believe he escaped the brunt of the epidemic by the skin of his teeth. Wiped out an entire generation of PSI users and their families alike, yes, the disease did. Such was the Swine flu!"

"I thought Swine flu was carried by pigs."

"Carried by pigs, humans, same difference!" Locra sniffed impatiently, snapping her wrist. "Well, the important thing is that while Giygas was immune…_Maria_ became infected."

The temperature in the room fell by several degrees.

"I am aware that the couple knew of young Giygas's powers. In a desperate attempt to protect him and her family, Maria turned herself into the hospital, where she was promptly quarantined. Giygas tried to heal her, but despite his good intentions, PSI turned the disease for the worse. Maria passed away, suffering from unimaginable pain."

"I see...," Claus said quietly, shifting in his chair.

"Oh, tragedy, quite tragic! They were very close, dear - so very, very close! How much Giygas would want to have her back! Yet PSI can only do so much. Bringing back the dead? That's a big no-no."

"But that didn't stop Giygas," Claus guessed.

"No, that didn't," the Magypsy agreed. "We poured over spells, sorcery, secrets, all day and night. Eventually, in his quest to learn more about the Seventh Needle, one of our travels led us to the Carpainter at Twoson. There, we found an incredible source of power, a deadly spirit trapped inside a stone figurine. We didn't know what it did or what to do with it at the time, so we eventually decided to leave it into my care. ❤"

Blowing gently on the hot liquid, Locria delicately took a sip of steaming tea. "But not a week later, Giygas shows up in Saturn Valley, knocking at my chamber door. He was a mess! Quite a wreck, he was. As soon as I opened the front door, he demanded my services on the spot. Took me by surprise~! ❤"

"What did he want?"

"That's where the story turns _interesting."_ The Magypsy unpeeled a luxury banana. "Giygas confessed to me a sudden weakness; he _had_ to revive Maria, no he _must_, but his conscience, his _blasted conscience,_ he said, thwarted his mind. He wanted strength. He _needed_ strength. He wanted to use the figurine. Of course, I warned him of the consequences of gaining such power, but did he listen? Ha! No. He persisted. So I gave him a set of conditions. He agreed to them. We made a deal."

Claus swallowed down the lump in his throat. "And…?"

"He lost his mind." Slowly fixing his dark pupils onto him, the Magypsy twitched his lips, dropping his voice into a whisper. "Oh, did sweet Giygas get what he deserved…"

To say that Claus didn't like the look on the Magypsy's face was an understatement. With her lips curled up into an unpleasant leer, Locria looked downright _creepy._ Fighting off the urge to bolt, Claus met her eyes in a silent challenge, refusing to be intimidated.

The Magypsy suddenly laughed out loud, clapping her hands together. "You look so scared! Don't be, darling! Aside from that odd request, my business transactions were generally boring! You should hear the things my customers used to consult me for: ache removal, hair growth, yada yada yada-"

Claus abruptly rose from his chair. "Thanks for the company, but I need to get going-"

"You do?"

"Yes."

"Nothing will change your mind, I suppose?" Locria sighed, watching him march away. "Run along then. Goodness gracious, I do hope you know how to keep your twin safe."

Claus halted.

"I know many things about you, Claus. You want to know what Giygas is planning next. You want to know how to protect your brother. I can tell you." The Magypsy tittered, pointing at the door. "But if you still want to leave, then by all means, I'm not stopping you, dear."

For a second, Claus said nothing, standing by the doorway with an unreadable expression on his face. Then, very slowly, Claus stiffly reached for a spare chair, blindly fumbling for it with a hand. A half-mottled stump happily jumped into his touch, and grasping it, Claus yanked it towards his feet.

"I'm listening."

"Listening is good." The Magypsy leisurely peeled another banana. "Word of the wind tells me that Giygas has been spying on you and your friends for quite some time. He knows of your whereabouts, of your plans...even of your disastrous failure to learn PK Love."

A chill ran down Claus's spine. "No."

"Darling, please. How long did you think that Saturn Valley could keep your brother safe? _Forever?"_

Claus shook his head, backing away from the table. "Giygas can't know that we're here!"

"Why not? Giygas knows many things, child. You and your friends stand no chance against him." The Magypsy breathed a puff of smoke from his pipe. The smoky ring curled past his lips in a soft whoosh. "And now...where does that leave _you_? Sweet child, your own brother doesn't even trust you with his own life!"

"My brother trusts me!"

"Then why didn't he tell you about his _little secret_, darling?_"_

"Tell me...what?"

"What do you mean _what_, my dear? Surely he's told you _everything_?" At Claus's bewildered look, the Magypsy laughed, slapping a hand on her knee. "Oh, what am I thinking? Of course not! He wouldn't have the guts!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Whoever pulls the Seventh Needle will pass on their heart to the Dark Dragon-"

"I know."

"Well, I suppose then, dear old _BuzzBuzz_ didn't tell _you _that your brother would also lose his _life!_ And neither did your brother himself, judging from that poorly-disguised look of confusion on your face~❤"

Claus pulled away, a myriad of emotions flashing through his face. "Lucas couldn't have known...he would've said _something-"_

Amused, Locria leaned in, batting her eyelashes. "Really, dear? Pray tell. For the past week, how many times has your brother talked to you?"

He winced. "We talked yesterday. Well, I think we did-"

"No, not how many times _you_ talked to your brother. How many times has _your brother _talked to _you?"_

"I-"

"Didn't ever cross your mind that perhaps your brother _didn't_ want to tell you?"

Claus closed his mouth, feeling icy dread trickle down his spine.

Locria was right. Lucas hadn't told him about the Mr. Saturn. Lucas hadn't told him about his visions. Since they had left home, Lucas had rarely confided any of his thoughts to him.

Lucas didn't trust him.

Betrayal slammed hard into Claus's gut.

"Goodness gracious. He's been plotting behind your back with the time traveler. Why, he cares too much about the stake of the world than for _your_ own future~"

"That's not true," Claus managed to say, trying to compose himself, but he was wavering, and the Shaman knew it. "Lucas cares a lot about other people-"

"Except for you."

Claus clenched his fists. "You're wrong. Lucas is one of the most selfless people I've ever known. I might not be the best brother for him, but he has a sense of ethics that you wouldn't be able to grasp!"

"Admit it, Claus. He shuns you, doesn't he?" the Magypsy said softly. "Not on purpose, no. Lucas cares too much about everyone else that he takes you for granted. He doesn't need you. You're only in his way. Say, if _you_ had to make the choice between his life and the fate of the world...the answer is obvious, darling. You wouldn't think twice about sacrificing the entire planet for his well-being."

"You're wrong."

However, deep down, Claus knew the right answer. The truth burned too painfully in the pit of his stomach.

A consoling hand patted his head. "Poor child. Poor, unfortunate soul," The Magypsy sighed and shook his head, sympathetically curling an arm around his shoulders. "With that _terrible_ temper of yours, do you _really _think your brother would trust you with a truth so delicate? After you nearly hurt him? Don't be ridiculous! Oh dear, what sensible person would ever do something so silly as to _trust you?"_

Wordless in distress, Claus stared at him, ashamed, then desperately clutched his temples. "Please," he begged. Words dropped from his tongue, and he clumsily picked them back into his mouth. "Pl-Please, isn't there a way to save him? Lucas can't _die –_ I promised I was going to keep him safe! I can't let him get hurt. This can't possibly be the only way to save the world!"

"Dear child, there's _no other way_. You take what you give. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a nail for a nail! Everything comes with a price, and to save the world, your brother must pay dearly for it. Darling, that is the price he pays to yield the power of PK Love, ohoho~❤"

A lightbulb flickered on in Claus's head.

"PK Love…"

"That's right, sweetcakes. I'm afraid that there's nothing you can do to save your brother. Your brother's a dead man! Better enjoy his last moments while you can. Go now. Shoo."

"Wait! But you're a Magypsy! You know PSI...you can help me!"

"Help you with what, dear?"

"Teach me PK Love."

The Magypsy paused, opening his mouth to blow a circle of steam. "PK Love cannot be _taught_, it is _learned_," she said irritably. "I can't teach you what you don't know-"

"I know I can do it! I've tried before!" Claus rapidly stumbled over his words in desperation, gripping the mage's cloak. "I can't use it. I can't master it. But if you help me...and if I learn it in time...I could pull the Needle instead, and Lucas won't have to die. Please, teach me! I'll do anything!"

The Magypsy snorted. "You have great potential, but _potential_ simply isn't enough, child. Your emotions are too rampant, too _wild,_ too uncontrolled. It'll take you _time_ to master this skill, and it's time that you simply do not have."

"We have time!" Claus desperately pleaded. "A-A few days! I can try to-"

"No can do. I'm afraid I cannot help you, my dear! Well, I suppose there is no other way except for...no, it's a risky thought. Banish it from your mind-"

"What?! What is it?!" As if like a drowning man, Claus seized his words like a lifeline. "Tell me, and I'll do it!"

"Dear child, it is a _nasty_ alternative, a _dreadful_ one not meant for the weak of heart-"

"I'll do it! Please, tell me!" Claus almost begged, blue eyes shining in deep despair. "I swear I'm strong enough to handle it!"

"I should not cave into your demands..." The Magypsy lazily peeled back a banana, then in an agonizingly slow time, devoured it. Glossy sugar coated his luscious lips. "But your pitiful cries draw this poor old man to sympathy. Fine, darling, _just_ _for you,_ I will lend my help. I know a way to suppress your feelings. PK Love is all about controlling emotion...yes? Then I have just the perfect solution for you."

"What is it?"

"Honey, _slow down_. You are leaving me in the dust! Before you agree with my terms, there is a teensy, weensy _price _you need to pay, sweetheart. You can't have something for nothing, you know~❤"

Claus turned quiet. "Name your price."

Clapping his hands in cheerful delight, the Magypsy tittered loudly, fanning his face. "You heroes, so desperate for anything! I have forgotten how reckless humans can get...You poor things barely live a hundred years, if that! Why would anyone bother to care about such short lives?"

The ginger said nothing, only watching him in obvious despair, and the Magypsy hid the urge to smile.

The boy was already _begging._

Oh, this was all too easy.

"What do you want?" Claus spoke, clumsily upturning his pockets with fumbling fingers. A few pennies, a bubblegum pack, and Lloyd's tool kit tumbled into his left hand. Feeling something heavy weighing down his right pocket, he tugged another object out with difficulty. "I have a drago fang..."

But the Magypsy laughed loudly, waving off the beautiful treasure. "Darling, you flatter me! No, to help you, I need something...less important." Locria leaned over, forcing a finger under his chin. Claus flinched, looking straight into his black, beady eyes. "Sell me _your heart~_❤"

Claus froze. "My heart?"

"Dear, how often has your heart helped you make the right decisions lately? With all those petty arguments you've been having with your brother…Not very much, I'd imagine! It's useless to you. You're better off without it," the Magypsy said softly. "You have a steady head on shoulders, but all your heart's ever given you is trouble. Anger. Jealousy. Frustration! The reason you can't control your emotions is because you can't control your heart, sweetums."

Claus stared at the floor. "The reason I can't control my emotions is because I can't control my heart," he repeated quietly.

"That's why dear old _BuzzBuzz_ refused to teach you, darling. But he didn't explain himself very well, did he? Made you think that it was _your_ fault for your own ineptitude." The Magypsy tutted hard, shaking his head in sympathy. "But don't you worry, dear. I'll be willing to buy your heart off your hands. Trust me, you won't miss it. After all, the heart only gets in the way of the head!"

A stab of fear shot through his chest. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Am I going to..." The Magypsy suddenly broke out into a loud, boisterous laughter. "Oh, you crack me up, sugar! No, dear, I only want to stop your heart - I don't want you _dead_. That'd simply be _bloody_ business!" The Magypsy gave a girlish giggle, wiping a tear from his eye. "Yes, just your heart will do. Nasty little thing needs to be _stilled forever."_

When Claus still looked hesitant, the Magypsy magnanimously extended his arms. "Tough choice? Why, of course it is. It's an irreversible process, sweetheart," he said sympathetically. "But one sharp prick and the deed's done! No blood, no gore~❤"

"I don't understand."

"Then let me explain, _darling."_ Locria twirled around, clutching an ancient weapon in her hands. Running down the spine of the quivering edge with a perfectly manicured fingernail, she slipped it over, catching the golden light on the sinister blade. "This is my special sword~❤ One pretty little stab, and I stop your heart forever. No heart? No emotion. And no emotions mean, well, goodbye, problems with PSI! In other words, your heart for your brother's life. Deal, or no deal?"

Claus hesitantly placed his hand over his own chest. The steady thrumming beat echoed through his fingers, and he could feel each pulse instilling him with liquid life. "That's all it takes?"

"Jackpot, dear."

"One stab?"

"Yes~❤"

Claus fell silent. "I want a minute."

"Take all the time you want, dear. I'll give you all the privacy you need," the Magypsy softly sang, snapping his fingers. The door bolted itself shut, the curtains cascaded down the mosaic windows in a dark tongue of cloth. "I have _high expectations_ for you, my sweet. Be careful of what you wish for. Nwehehehehe~❤"

With another snap of the fingers and the twirl of a heel, the Magypsy disappeared in a shower of golden sparkles, leaving Claus alone in the dark.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"No. Way."

"That's got to be the most expensive Peanut Cheese Bar I've ever seen!"

"How much does it cost?"

"Thirty dollars."

Ninten whistled, loud and low, then reached for his wallet. Dipping his hand into one of its pockets, he dragged out several soggy, crumpled bills into his hand, then turned the wallet upside down. A few meager pennies pitifully clattered onto the ground. "That's all I have in cash."

"You've got to be kidding me," Ness grumbled, digging around in his bag. "You're _always_ loaded."

Given how uptight and proper they were, it was no secret that Ninten's family was wealthy. Ninten scratched his neck sheepishly. "I left my credit card back home. My parents wanted to upgrade our family plan."

Sighing, Ness reached for his ATM card. "Freeloader. Fine, choose what you want, but nothing too expensive."

Carefully stepping back, Ninten shook his head. "Ness, I can't take your money-"

"Buy the stupid Peanut Cheese Bar!" Exasperated, Ness shoved the ATM card into his friend's palm. "I swear, it's not a big deal. We need to stock up anyways. The only reason my family hasn't paid back our debt yet is because of Aloysius's interest rate, and that's only because he's still being a dick about it."

"If you insist..."

As Ninten reluctantly relayed his order to the Mr. Saturn, Ness let his eyes attentively drift around the merchandise for anything that might come in handy.

Secret Herb.

Picture Postcard.

Red ribbon.

...Red ribbon?

As Ness stared at the last item in stock, he felt a hot blush creep into his cheeks. Paula always had such a fondness for ribbons, and every day, she'd stroll into class with a neat ribbon or two weaved through her golden hair.

Even he had to admit it looked quite pretty with her blonde, wavy locks.

A warm feeling prickled down his neck. Furiously crimson, Ness took off his hat by the brim and fanned himself, hoping that Ninten couldn't read his thoughts. Paula was just a friend, a very good friend at that, and he preferred to keep it that way.

But the red ribbon reminded him of the torn one he had found outside her house.

Hesitating, Ness reached into his pocket to tug out the singed remains of the ornate ribbon. He had meant to return it to Paula once he had found her, but he'd forgotten in the midst of the Facility Chaos.

He wondered if she ever thought about him.

_Probably not. _Ness doubted it. She and the others had enough to worry about on their shoulders: namely, returning to the city safely. Violet eyes glanced fleetingly towards the window.

But if he remembered clearly, then this red ribbon had been her favorite. She had told him once that it had belonged to her deceased grandmother.

Somehow, Ness found himself clumsily stumbling towards the Mr. Saturn. "One red ribbon, please," he mumbled.

Ninten eyed the ribbon with a small curiosity. "Who's da fo'?" he asked, openly chewing on his food. "Tracy?"

"Personal reasons."

Ninten threw him an infuriating smirk (Ness swore that he spent too much time hanging around Claus), then shrugged his shoulders. "I figured."

"Good for you, genius."

Ninten waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "A word of advice, Ness: bribery won't get you far in the realm of romance-"

"Cut it out, okay?" Ness grumbled, tossing him a dirty glare. "Paula lost her ribbon because of me."

"She did?"

"Well, it was caught in a bush before a Starman singed it to pieces," Ness admitted, neglecting to mention that the bush had been planted right outside her house; Ninten would obviously have a good laugh or two over that. "Besides, she bought me a baseball bat once."

"But that was for your _birthday party_. Isn't her birthday, like, I dunno, all the way in July?"

"Well then, that's one less thing to think about, Smooth Mcgroove." Ness blindly rummaged around his bag with a free hand. "I've got some change to spare. You wanna send Ana a postcard?"

Instantly, Ninten flustered, spitting out a mouthful of Peanut Cheese Bar. "WHAT?!"

"It's only two dollars. Here, I bought you one. It magically self-sends too. Go write something nice."

"I can't take this, Ness."

"Sure, you can."

"No, really. I can't."

"Ninten, it can't hurt to write her one. Just to tell her you're alive and all."

Hesitantly, Ninten reached for it, clicking a ball-point pen in hand. "I guess." A pause. "Uh…"

"Problem?"

"I don't know how to start the letter," Ninten groaned, rapidly clicking away at the ball-point pen in agitation.

"That's easy." Ness batted his eyes, then voiced in a cracking falsetto, "_Dearest Ana, the world's ending, BUT I LURVE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. From Ninten._ Problem solved."

"EURGH! I don't write like that!" Ninten protested, scrunching his face in utter disgust. "Ugh, that's got to be the _worst_ letter I've ever heard. You're no help at all!"

"The worst letters are the ones in your _name_."

"Haha. Shut up, Ness. Seriously, if _you_ ever sent me a letter like that, I'd _burn_ it on the spot."

"With PK Fire?"

Suddenly, both of them burst into mad giggles, clutching their stomachs and doubling over against the wall in bubbling ecstasy. Ness let loose another loud hoot of laughter, then proceeded to waggle his fingers with a breathy_ whoosh_, imitating a crackling bonfire of letters before they cracked up again.

"You're absolutely hopeless, you stud," Ness laughed, punching his shoulder. "Are you ever going to ask her out?"

Ninten shuffled his feet. "Maybe," he mumbled.

"Well, Paula and I have a five dollar bet going on."

Ninten flicked him on the forehead. "I swear, you're almost as bad as Claus."

"Then I'll help you out. Pretend that I'm Ana," Ness insisted, a cheeky grin spreading on his face. He delicately fanned his face, then let out a girlish giggle that sounded more like a constipated shark. "Oh, Ninten, you're so _stupid~_"

"She does _not_ sound like that!" Ninten snapped, smacking a giggling Ness in the shoulder. "Don't mock her with your _plebian_ voice, nitwit! And why do _I_ have to make the first move?! G-geez! Gender roles are so overrated!"

"You don't have to," Ness clarified. He grinned, then shrugged his shoulders. "I just thought it was something you'd been planning since...forever. And hey, if you honestly don't feel ready for the commitment, then you don't have to ask her out. There's nothing wrong about staying single."

Ninten fell silent. "Girls," he finally said.

"Girls," Ness agreed, sympathizing with him, then lazily kicked back against the wall.

In an unspoken agreement, Ninten slouched beside him, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "So…when are you planning on asking Pau...someone out?"

With a small grin, Ness calmly breathed out. "When the time is right."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Ness shrugged.

With a loud sigh, Ninten grudgingly blew into his black bangs. "Fair enough."

"Well, in any case, if you ever need us to double team you or something, I'm sure Claus and I would be very happy to help-"

Ninten's face twitched at the highly disturbing image. "Can you not?!"

"Okay." Ness happily turned away with an ill-concealed smile. "Heh. Then I guess I'll be winning my five dollars soon-"

Ness was saved a potential fist in the face when a familiar freckled face made its presence known, stepping into the dingy shack. Shaking the snow out of his hair, Lucas quickly glanced around the room as if expecting to see someone, only for his shoulders to slump in a crestfallen heap.

"LUCAS!" Ninten suddenly screeched, dragging the surprised boy over by the arm. "Thank god you're here! I swear, Ness is acting like an insensitive dumbass!"

"Is he now?" Lucas asked in his usual soft voice. He studied them in amusement, eyes first fixating on Ninten, who fumed indignantly, then flitting towards Ness, who winked then shook his head. "That's strange. I sense no foul play here."

"WIPE THAT INFURIATING SMIRK OFF YOUR FACE!" Ninten yelled accusingly, pointing at a now-sniggering Ness. "I wasn't the one who bought myself a ribbon for my own _personal_ _reasons_-"

Ness curled a hand around his own ear. "Hey, do you guys hear that? If you listen really hard, you might hear a voice crying hypocrite!"

"I am _not_ a hypocrite!"

"Hypocrite, hypocrite, throw me a fit~"

"I hate you!"

"Eh..." Lucas trailed off, watching his friends brawl around in confusion, then promptly deciding that he wanted no part of this, instantly turned around. "I guess I'll come back later-"

"NO!" his friends both yelled, yanking each of his wrists back like a pair of toddlers.

Ness jabbed a finger into Ninten's cheek. "Lucas, tell him off!"

"No! Don't let him bully you into the Dark Side!" Ninten wailed, wrestling Ness down.

Lucas raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "What's gotten into both of you?"

"Girl talk," Ness said.

The confusion cleared. Lucas's lips rose in a cheeky smile. "Again?"

"Not 'again'!" Agitated, Ninten paced around the room. "Okay, Lucas. You're like, the most rational dude out of all of us. Cool. So, hypothetically speaking, if _you_ were a girl, would you rather to be asked out, or would you ask someone out?"

Ness rolled his eyes. "Lucas isn't a girl."

"I KNOW, DUMBASS! I said _hypothetically speaking_!"

"Wow. _Savage."_

"Shut up, Ness! Okay, Lucas, say that you _liked_ a girl! What would you do then?"

Visibly flustered, Lucas rubbed his neck, wondering what insanity he had gotten himself into. "I don't know, Ninten...I can't say I've liked anyone before-"

Ninten victoriously jabbed a finger into the air. "HAH! See?! He said it doesn't matter!"

"He never said that!" Ness said indignantly. "He said he didn't know!"

"Same difference!"

"Ninten, just be yourself," Lucas said softly, making both boys turn their attention onto him. "Ana likes you for who you are, not for whatever front you're trying to put up for her."

Ninten stared down at the floor. "Maybe..."

"Hey, don't get all moody on us. We're supposed to tease you. We're your bros." Cracking a small grin, Ness ruffled his hair ("Get your stupid hand off, Ness!"). "I guess that's enough teasing for one day. Hey, Lucas, did you need something?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it-"

"Well, it's clearly _something_ if you decided to check up on us," Ninten insisted, plopping onto his elbows. "So...Waassup?"

Lucas hesitated, sweeping his eyes around the room. "I hate to be a bother, but have either of you seen Claus?"

Both boys instantly straightened up.

"No..." Ness trailed off, shooting Ninten a worried look. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since dinner. Have you?"

"Same. I last saw him at the left edge of the forest. He went out for a stroll." Ninten flipped his cap upright. "Don't worry, Lucas. He told me he was coming back soon-"

"When?"

"Um...I dunno. We were talking maybe an hour or two ago? Why? Is he not back yet?"

All the blood drained out of Lucas's face.

To their immense surprise, Ninten cursed, then bolted to his feet. "That _idiot!_ He must've run out on us!"

"You told me that he returned to the village!" Ness demanded, turning on him. "WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Ninten panicked, fanning out his telepathy. "Oh no, oh no, I can't sense him anywhere…Ness, do something!"

"What do you want me to do?!"

"I don't know! Anything!"

"It's okay," Ness said, trying to calm himself down. "Claus couldn't have gone far. We'll let BuzzBuzz know what happened, then send out a search party-"

Without warning, Ninten latched a hand onto his shoulder, his expression frozen in a look of sheer terror. Halting, Ness threw him a questioning glance, only for Ninten's features to slacken in telepathy.

Ness and Lucas fell quiet, sharing the identical features of alarm.

Shortly, Ninten broke out into a panicked jumble of words. "Guys," he said shakily. "I hate to break this, like REALLY hate to break this to you, but we're in trouble. BIG TROUBLE."

"Trouble?" Ness echoed.

The Mr. Saturn nodded sagely. **"ᕼOᑌᔕᕮ GO ᑭOOᖴ."**

Ninten opened his mouth, then halted.

"Ninten...?" Lucas inquired cautiously.

Snatching up the Mr. Saturn under his arm, Ninten roughly dragged his protesting friends outside, then shoved them ungracefully into the snow by the scruffs of their shirts.

"What-"

"Ow!" Ness sputtered, flailing around. "Dude, what the heck-!"

"TAKE COVER!" Ninten screamed, diving down.

In a high-pitched whistle, the humming house sparked once, then glowed white-hot in pulsating energy. Without thinking twice, they dropped to the ground. The searing light sputtered once more in protest before exploding into tongues of magical fire. Thick clouds noisily billowed up and painted the crimson sky a smoky black, casting flickering shadows onto their petrified faces.

Ness stared at the line of burning houses in horror. "Are we...?"

"Starmen! They're here!" Ninten gasped, doubling over to clutch his sides. "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

His mind wandered restlessly.

At first, he ignored temptation. The Magypsy was bound to return soon, and Claus didn't know how he'd react to him snooping around.

But slowly, Claus let his eyes roam over the strange, dusty antiques littered around the room. A creaky Monkey cage teetered on its edge, wailing shrilly as its cage door swung back and forth in a pendulum. Several bananas littered the floor, each stuffing the air with its thick, over-ripe perfume. Close by, dusty and unused, sat a thick, dark tome. An ominous cursive scrawl on its dark leather cover flashed a mercurious sheen of silver.

_The Tale of Two Twins._

Curiosity lifted his arm to snag its pages, and Claus dragged the book closer, absentmindedly flicking through the book with a free hand. After a minute or so, he frowned, realizing that nothing seemed to be inscribed on the blank pages. His fingers acted of their own accord, flipping through the pages faster and faster until they halted at the words on the very last page.

**Once upon a Time, there was a pair of twins.**

**They died.**

**The End.**

Shuddering, Claus slammed the book shut. What kind of messed-up fairy-tale was _that?_

Recalling that Lady Locria had left the sword behind, Claus cast his eyes upwards onto the regal pedestal, trying not to think about what he had just read.

The glint of gold caught his eyes.

One look, and Claus knew it was no ordinary sword. The innocent blade thrummed with a strange power that lifted the hair on his arms. His heart pounded faster. As if drawn to the deadly blade like a moth to a candle, Claus crept closer, hooking his fingernails underneath the heavy, metal hilt-

"I wouldn't touch that yet if I were you."

Claus hastily withdrew; the weapon clattered onto the stone floor with a dull thunk.

The Magypsy glanced at his guilty face, then at the not-so-dusty book in his hands. To Claus's immense surprise, the Magypsy's features slackened into a blank look. "Curiosity killed the cat."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No need to apologize, darling. I'm just _teasing~_❤_"_

Dropping his eyes to the fallen weapon, Claus shot it a nervous side-glance. "Why is your sword so special?"

"Special? Darling, it is cursed~❤" Picking it up, the Magypsy twirled it into the air. "A stab through the heart is all it takes for a fate _far_ worse than death. Even I don't envy the poor soul run through with this blade." Locria's lips curled into a knowing smile, then graciously offered the hilt into his hands. "Sweetheart, no cure exists for a dead heart. Let's put it at that."

Chills ran up Claus's back just from looking at the blade, and he stepped back, gingerly placing the sword back on its stand. It gleamed innocently underneath the moonlight.

"How is it cursed?"

The Magypsy hummed. "It has an _interesting_ history; a tale I'd be glad to share. You see, once upon a time, there were a pair of nosy twins, just like you and your brother. Princes. They asked me and my siblings for help in pulling the Seven Needles. One wanted to continue the Pigmask regime. The other vehemently refused against it."

_The Pigmask regime?_

"But that was one hundred fifty years ago…" Claus weakly trailed off.

"Your point?"

Claus paused, flashing back to BuzzBuzz's debriefing. Of course. The Magypsies were immortal. "Nevermind."

"The twins…yes, I remember them. The most pathetic, incompetent pair of children I have ever laid my eyes upon. Always fighting, never got along half of the time. They couldn't even rule their kingdom properly, so they had no choice but to come crawling on their knees for help!"

Shaking his head, Locria crossed his arms in a scoff of disdain. "Humans. You call me greedy, when it's you who come to me begging for assistance. It's always, please, Locria, where is the Seventh Needle? Locria, where is the Dark Dragon? I want this! I want that! BlahBlahBlah, it was always so tiring! No one ever gave a single wink about our own lives, did they?

"But returning to my tale: naturally, I told my siblings to ignore the twins' complaints. It was _their_ fault that the kingdom was crumbling; it was their fault that humanity was at its low. Why did we have to pay with our lives to appease them? Let the rest of the human race rot to the ground, I said! But my brothers were too kind. They answered to the twins' pitiful pleas. None of them fancied a destructive dictatorship, so Ionia rounded us all up to help one of the twins against the Pigmask faction."

_"Locria, darling," _Ionia had said to me, waggling his finger. _"When we disappear, can I count on you to ensure that the torch of humanity burns bright?"_

"Reluctant as I was, Ionia was the eldest, and he knew none the wiser, so I relented and gave him my word. So the race began. Needles were pulled left and right. My fool-hardy, naive brothers all disappeared, leaving me one by one. Finally, those remorseless brats found themselves locked head-to-head in a tie. One twin had pulled three Needles; the other, three Needles. Soon, all that remained was mine: the very last one.

"By then, I had changed my mind. There was no way I was going to let such _human filth_ pull my Needle. Of course, I did my best to believe in the goodness of mankind as Ionia bade me; so when the twins arrived, I tried hard to make them reconcile. They refused."

A dark shadow covered Locria's face.

"But I was crafty. I congratulated them for making it so far, then challenged them to a grand duel. A duel to the death, I said, would determine the rightful ruler. Whoever won would claim victory over the Seventh Needle."

"Did they offer truce?" Claus said hopefully.

"Did they offer-HAHAHA!" The Magypsy laughed loudly, an uncomfortable, grating sound to the ears. "You couldn't be farther from the truth, darling. They were unable to see past their greed, and fought each other to the death."

"No!"

"Oh, yes, they did," the Magypsy hissed, savagely digging his fingernails into the doorframe. "Then the elder twin finally stabbed his brother through the heart. The sorry fool watched his own brother die in his own regretful arms."

Those words dragged back a very familiar flashback, and Claus's stomach lurched, a nauseous feeling rising into his throat.

_You're not like them, _a voice in his head whispered. _You didn't actually kill him._

Claus closed his eyes. _But I almost did. I can never forgive myself for that._

"Realizing what he had done in his horrified stupidity, the heartbroken twin seized the cruel blade that had taken his brother's life then impaled himself on it, leaving the Seventh Needle resting in place. Without their leaders, the political factions dissolved, leading to a new era of democracy. As a lasting memento of their heartless crime, the blade became cursed, twisted beyond any form of Dark Magicke. And as for the final Needle...It still stands here today under the ruins of New Pork City."

A certain bitterness had seeped Locria's tone like once sweet candy that had gone sour.

Claus swallowed hard. "So your brothers..."

"They're dead," the Magypsy said flatly. "Did you finally make up your mind, sweetheart?"

Unable to disperse the awkward silence, Claus warily eyed the golden blade in the Magypsy's trembling grip. As if noting his uncomfortable expression, Locria's eyes lost their hardened texture.

"I don't blame you, dear," he sighed, patting Claus on the head with his sharp, manicured nails. "I have no love for humans, but it's not _your_ fault. I can't hold you accountable for my losses~❤"

"But your life-" Claus managed to say, but the Magypsy interrupted him by gently placing two fingers on his lips.

"Everything in life has a price. And now...dear, you must choose yours. Have you made a decision?"

Caught by a sudden thought, Claus dropped his eyes onto the floor. Ginger bangs obscured his expression in a curtain of darkness, enshrouding his face in a shadow of doubt.

"Lady Locria?"

"Yes?"

"...Can I really save my brother?"

The Magypsy paused, hovering by his shoulder with a look of concern. "What makes you say that, dear?"

"I'm just a kid. What chance can I stand against someone like Giygas?" Claus said quietly. He clenched his fist, then reopened it. "And with the memories you've shown me...I'm beginning to realize what a horrible brother I've been to him. You're right. Lucas doesn't need me. I'm...I'm a..."

A muffled sound escaped from his shaking his lips, and the teen's shoulders began to shake. To his own horror, broken, dry sobs forced themselves out of his throat like sharp shards of glass, tearing and ripping out of his throat. He clutched his sides, trying to control his breathing, but the burning in his lungs refused to fade.

His heart ached, and no amount of trying could stop its lonely weeping.

"I'm a monster..."

Suddenly, blue eyes burst open as spindly arms enclosed his shoulders, wrapping him into a cold embrace. Ever since Hinawa had died...he hadn't recalled ever being hugged like this, like a child being comforted by a mother.

Nostalgia prickled his eyes, but Claus refused to cry.

He was supposed to be the strong one.

He couldn't cry.

"Darling," Lady Locria whispered, tracing his jaw with a finger. "You understand. All the wicked deeds you've done...but sweetheart, you still have a chance. One chance to redeem yourself."

Drawing in a deep breath, Claus stepped back, staring fixedly at the ceiling until the blurriness in his vision disappeared. Wiping his eyes with an arm, he nodded with a strange finality. "I'm ready."

"Your sincere concern brings tears to these sorry eyes," the Maygypsy sniffed, dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief. "Are you sure, darling? Is this what you _really_ want?"

Claus tightly clenched his fists. "Yes."

"Sweetheart, this cure isn't for the weak-hearted," the Magypsy warned, waggling a cheeky finger. "The trauma of stopping your heart and setting all those emotions free might _kill_ you."

"I'll take the risk."

"No regrets? No, take-backs? No _'Locria, I've made a terrible mistake, please turn me back!'_?"

"If it'll save my brother, then I'll do it."

Holding his voluminous stomach, the Magypsy tossed back his head and laughed. The laughter boomed around the house like lightning, scattering dark shadows across the walls. Snapping his fingers, the Magypsy whirled around, voicing a sinister, slithering incantation with his tongue.

Ancient bottles and jars flew off from the shelves to dump their mysterious contents into his bubbling cauldron. At one point, Claus thought he even saw a flying eyeball before it vanished in a wisp of smoke. Colorful flashes and deafening bangs clashed against his ears, and Claus scrunched his nose at the sharp smell of sharp ash.

Then the lightshow receded.

Fluorescent green liquid bubbled, glowing innocently in its cauldron. Gracefully, an ornate cup floated over, dipping itself into the potion before gliding into the Magypsy's grip. Eerie green light painting his features, the Magypsy smiled sweetly and offered him the goblet.

"Cheers~❤"

"What's this?" Claus warily eyed the smoking drink. Just looking at the eerie green fluid sent shivers down his spine. A bad feeling rose with the sour bile in his throat.

The Magypsy shrugged his shoulders playfully. "Well, what do you think, hon? I am stabbing you with a sword. A magical sword, nonetheless, but still a sword. Some painkiller would help numb that terrible sensation."

Curling his fingers around the glittering goblet, Claus hesitated, getting second thoughts. This was a bad idea...No, a stupid one. Accepting a mysterious drink from a stranger was the dumbest mistake he could be making of the century.

But if this was the only way he could learn PK Love...

If this was the only way he could save Lucas...

Claus tipped the potion into his mouth.

Instantly, Claus dropped the goblet and doubled over, gasping in pain. Tasting of sour grapes, the boiling liquid burned down his throat, scalding sores and bubbling burns in his insides. At once, his heart weakly pounded once in protest before twisting in on itself, hot blood twisting and coursing through poisoned veins like acid, and Claus sank into his knees with a shuddering breath.

"Did you think that I would _help_ you?" A tinkling laugh resounded in his ears. "Ohoho~! I knew you'd take some convincing, but I didn't think that it would've been this easy."

"W-What?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet, Claus?" the Magypsy said softly. "A clever little boy like you?"

Claus glanced back down at the fallen goblet. Green liquid stared back at him, reflecting against his blue eyes. Horror flashed across those perfect irises.

_No._

The Magypsy wiped a tear from his eye. "Painkiller? Brainwashing fluid. Nwehehehe, gets them every single time~"

With a sick gurgle, Claus twisted over, rasping in pain. "You...!"

"I'm terribly sorry, darling, but if I turn your brother in, Giygas promised me the entire human race under my fingertips! How can I resist such a tempting offer?" Eyeing him hungrily, the Shaman licked his lips, wetting the dry cracks with his tongue. "Give up, dear. Very soon, we'll have your own twin running straight into Giygas's hands, and it'll all be thanks to you, _sweetheart.__"_

"N-No!" Claus stammered, backing away. He flinched, slapping a hand over his eye as hot pain seared into his skull. "Leave Lucas out of this! PLEASE! You have me-!"

"You? Please. You're emotionally challenged for the job. Might lack quite the heart~❤ But don't you worry, sweet. Once your brother brings the world to its knees, you can have the honor of serving me as my soldier for all eternity. Every army needs a cute little commander, and you will be _mine."_

Paling rapidly in sickening realization, Claus staggered upright in the haze of confusion, feeling around for the doorway before he collapsed again in a coughing fit. Two large feet mercilessly planted themselves directly in his line of sight, and with watering eyes, Claus slowly looked up in drowning dread.

The Magypsy cheerfully raised his hands and lifted up an ominous, metal contraption. The candles flickered, throwing shivering silhouettes onto the walls. "Now, stay still, dear. This fashionable mask has an inbuilt electric collar, and I'd hate to shock you into submission."

Without second thought, Claus threw himself out of the way just as the Magypsy lunged forward to seize his ankle. With a power born from desperation, light exploded at Claus's feet, shattering the air in a flurry of blue sparks.

Locria blinked dumbly. "What the-"

The kick scored a direct hit on the Magypsy's knee.

Shrieking curses at the top of his lungs, the man jumped back in pain. He knocked into the antique display case, dropping the sword onto the ground with a clatter.

Taking advantage of his disorientation, Claus tried to slink off to the side, but with surprisingly agility, Locria struck back, catching his unsteady target unaware. A powerful, PSI-charged foot brutally caught Claus between the ribs, knocking all the air out of his battered lungs. Sheer momentum slammed the battered boy straight into a cupboard, shattering the tinted glass. Spasming as jagged shards clawed bloody furrows into his back, Claus limply slid down with a grunt of pain and sank into the pile of discarded debris.

A large, burly hand yanked him up by the hair, forcing him to look into Locria's beady, black eyes. A wild look blazing in his blue eyes, Claus silently snarled back, curling his lips in defiance.

With a sickly-sweet smile, Locria leaned over, gently cupping Claus's chin with a calloused hand. Gritting his teeth, Claus recoiled, jerking his head back, but Locria growled – a low, guttural sound that curdled deep in his throat in the form of an unspoken threat. Instantly, Claus froze like a deer caught in headlights, limbs stiffening up in sheer discomfort. Satisfied by his reaction, Locria sharply clucked his tongue twice in warning, then lifted a finger to touch the shallow cut on his cheek.

But Claus gave him no such luxury. Infuriated, he snapped his teeth together, and the Magypsy hastily withdrew his hand, narrowly avoiding amputation by a centimeter.

"Darling, look at what you've done!" Locria exclaimed in disapproval, shaking his head with a low tut. "You've gone and hurt yourself!"

"Touch me, and I'll _bite_ your hand off."

"Come now. Once you get to know me, I'm not that terrible, dear~❤"

Claus didn't respond; his stony-faced expression spoke for him.

Locria leaned in, looming threateningly over his downed form. "I hate to play good cop, bad cop, sweetie, but we can either settle this the _easy_ way or the _hard_ way." He shoved the gray mask forward. The sharp corner dug into Claus's cheek. "Are you going to be a good boy, or do I have to make you behave?"

Claus spat in his face.

Next moment, a sharp smack to the head sent him reeling against the destroyed cabinet. A second later, a burly boot snapped out, digging his shoulder blades into the ground. Baring his teeth, Claus dug his fingers into the boot, desperately trying to lift it off, but warding off his hands with a well placed kick of the heel, Locria slammed the leather-studded toe into his unprotected stomach.

Unable to hold back the searing stab of liquid pain coursing through his veins, Claus violently arched his back, forcing out a low keen of pain. Wheezing heavily, he scrabbled around in sheer agony, feeling the littered pieces of glass stabbing through his torn skin. Savagely drinking in his helpless expression, the Magypsy ruthlessly continued stamping the downed boy harder with a thick boot, but this time, Claus was ready, muffling his screams of pain by sinking his teeth into his left fist. He hadn't realized how hard he was biting down until something trickled down his hand, and looking down, he noticed that his knuckles were bleeding.

"Idiotic boy, is that all you've got?"

With a sadistic leer, the man lifted his boot to deliver another crushing blow, and curling up in fetal position, Claus raised his uninjured hand in a feeble attempt to protect himself. Thick, rough flesh encased his arm, almost popping it off his sockets, but this time, Claus did little to resist the disgusting pair of hands dragging him back into captivity.

"Obey me."

"No!"

A slap to the face. Claus tasted copper on his tongue.

"Perhaps I heard you wrong," the Magypsy said in a dangerously quiet voice. "I said, _Obey me_."

A hysterical laugh. "You hit like a girl."

Wrong choice of words. Claus closed his eyes as the man began to beat every shred of sanity out of his body.

What was the point of fighting back?

The brainwashing potion was going to twist his mind in mere minutes. He could already feel its poison coursing through his veins, and it was only a matter of time before he became a drooling lapdog incapable of independent thought.

A sharp elbow to the temple. A second kick to the ribs.

The Magypsy was too strong. There was no way Claus could take him down.

Another blow to the head dragged a gasp from his throat before submerging him back under the sea of pain.

Claus barely registered the blows raining down on his skin. Robbed of energy, he limply sagged over and waited for his inevitable demise.

But Lucas...

Lucas was in peril.

He thought about his younger brother: Lucas worrying over his sudden absence, Lucas trembling at his side after a nightmare; sweet, shy Lucas trapped all alone with this man. He imagined the Magypsy ruthlessly kicking his younger brother in the ribs, touching him, _torturing _him without an ounce of remorse–

Blue eyes snapped open in blazing fury only rivaled by the burning pits of Hell, and as Locria relaxed, thinking that he had finally given up, Claus whipped around and bit him in the back of the palm.

Howling in pain, the man stumbled backwards, desperately trying to wrestle back the elder twin, who almost seemed to have become a savage piranha over the course of two seconds; as if fueled by the thought of his twin brother in danger, Claus's eyes, initially filled with bleak despair, now blazed with vile fury, and the ginger sank his sharp teeth deeper into thick hide, evoking higher-pitched yowls of agony as he clawed ferociously at whatever inch of skin he could find.

The hostile grip slackened, and panting heavily, Claus instantly took advantage of this open opportunity to squirm, tearing himself away from the Magypsy in disgust.

Claus wasn't _ever_ going to let this man harm his brother. Not by long shot.

Beautiful, shimmering sparks flying off his form in a glossy sheen, Claus slammed his palms down, and the Magypsy crumpled onto the floor like a deck of cards under his righteous fury. Seized by a sudden aura of power, Claus lifted his fingers into the air.

A word bubbled in his lips, natural and pure.

"PK Love!"

The sky exploded into a rain of dazzling azure fireworks.

Five hundred liquid shades of blue burst into the air in exquisite, breathtaking beauty, tearing through wind and replacing despair with resurging hope. Shining down its heavenly rays like an ethereal song, the starry lightshow shimmered gently, embracing the air in an Arctic aurora. Wondrous faelight caught Claus's icy azure eyes, tinting them a silver sheen flecked with dazzling gold. Liquid ecstacy rushed up his veins, and with another surge of strength, Claus shook off his temporary daze. Ignoring the nerves in his fingers screaming in pain, he grimly turned around, dragging his feet to the door.

He had to find Lucas. Had to keep him safe.

"Horrid boy! Cursed child!" The Magypsy howled, blindly swinging his fists; they bit the air with a high-pitched scream. "Come back this instance! _Ooooh,_ once I get my hands on you, you'll wish you'd never been born!"

The fog in his mind thickened. Thoughts faded and resurfaced with the bile in his throat, and Claus staggered onto his knees, retching out the contents of his stomach. Reeling from exertion, he struggled not to pass out from the sudden clamor of overbearing thoughts, because he had to...had to find Lucas...

Lucas...

Who was Lucas?

_Lucas_

_he's your twin your twin brother_

_who's a twin brother_

_what's a brother_

_younger brother_

_younger twin_

_Lucas Lucas is_

_and I am_

_I am_

_asdfghjklqwrujhtgzsdfmbnkgjbxfdARKbvejtvabwkrverwavbhaejvkersaqoqwervjk_–

A heavily calloused hand clamped over his mouth. Azure eyes bursting wide open in shock, Claus struggled, but the meaty appendage forcefully stayed put, smothering his airway and muffling his screams. Another thick burly arm twisted him into a tight headlock, abruptly yanking him backwards and making his eyes water, and in the disorientation of the very one-sided struggle, Claus panicked, reaching for a spell, but as if reading his thoughts, his captor cut him to the chase.

"PK Brainshock."

A strange feeling overtook him, but Claus shook his head, trying to concentrate on...what was he trying to do again? Realizing that the hand on his mouth was probably an indication that he was being attacked, Claus grasped for a spell that could...what spells did he even know? Frustrated, Claus froze in stewing stupor, clawing blindly at his captor in vain, but for some reason, the PSI that had come so naturally at his ready fingertips lingered right out of reach. Sluggish confusion smothered his mind in a dense cloud of dread: no matter how hard Claus fought to remember anything, he drew a dead blank.

A deep chuckle crawled into his ears, sending an icy chill down his spine. Claus felt the chokehold tighten, and goosebumps erupted down his bare neck. Lost and confused, he shivered in terror, feeling a pair of lips quietly whisper soothing encouragements against his hair.

"Scared? That's all right, dear. I promise you won't feel a thing...don't turn around, look at me–yes,_ good boy..._"

A glint of gold grinned ominously into view.

Even in his confused state, Claus knew that whatever it was, that blade promised bad things.

Very bad things.

**Ba-dump. ****Ba-dump. ****Ba-dump.**

"Shhh, darling...Hush. _Don't struggle. Just endure it!_ I promise, it won't hurt much–that's it, yes, eyes over here, sweet-"

A sharp cry of distress escaped through stark-white lips, a violent struggle lost in the silent hiss of dead candles–

A slithering scrape of metal–

A flash of crimson–

**Ba-dump. ****Ba-dump.**

A pudgy face, smug and pleased.

"You're _mine."_

Icy pain, jagged and searing, twisted through his screaming veins like shards of glass-

_Have to__...safe..._

Closing his eyes, Claus gave his final breath.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

**Ba-dump.**


	31. Strong One

_After the research facility had crumbled into shambles, the two of us observed whatever video feed we could salvage from the wreck. _

_The resulting footage came as a surprise to us. __Even Giygas had lifted his head in response, quirking an eyebrow. An intense emotion. __"Touching," he had merely said. High praise for the four boys we were planning to kill. _

_Or was it a mocking jest?_

_I paid him no heed. Half the words Giygas spouted were nonsense these days._

_It wasn't until later in Saturn Valley that a friend of mine would tell me more about the two, so-called "special" brothers._

_I had always liked Mouse. A thoughtful mind he was, amongst animals. So very shred he was, so very clever, so very wise beyond his years. I would fondly ask him a bidding, and it would never go incomplete. He was a loyal friend, an invaluable comrade amidst sorry fools of the world._

_So it was just the two us, awaiting our next orders from Giygas when my friend finally spoke up._

_"I don't see why you want the twins so badly."_

_I puckered my lips, then dabbed them with cherry lipstick. "PK Love, Mouse, my dear. PK Love."_

_"They're brothers."_

_"So? Just because I had brothers doesn't mean that I should care._"_ I bat my eyelashes, quite unsatisfied; one of them had more eyeliner than the other, so clicking my makeupbox open, I strove to correct it. "And if they're close...all the better to ensnare them with. Nwehehehe~"_

_Mouse fell silent. "I understand now. They have something you lack."_

_His words were enough to pique my interest. "Power?"_

_"Love."_

_Love. I used to have that too, along with Power, Wealth, and Eternal life._

_I used to have it all._

_Then the Six Pillars of my life came crumbling down._

_I became a hollow husk. __And nothing could sate my voracious hunger._

_But the more I took, the more I craved. It was an itch, an urge, an ugly desire I couldn't control. I was addicted, hooked onto the point of desperation. I needed something, anything, everything. So I stole the happiness of others to sate my own; yet the hunger grew, the emptiness never sated, a bottomless abyss that swallowed up my mind and drove me mad._

_It was then I changed my mind. _

_I decided to steal one of the twins for my own._

* * *

Even from birth, Fassad had always known that he had been different from his siblings.

While magically talented, his brothers had always been a little naive when it came to reality. The overarching years as Magypsies had only emphasized their odd quirks, retaining their childish minds for even centuries. Yet with great power came great responsibility, and Six of the Seven Magypsies did their best to serve as guardians for the human race.

Fassad saw little good in his old kin. He had lost track of how many humans had stopped by to knock on his door, how many humans had begged him for this, for that, for _something_. Their sick fawning, their attempts to appease the worthless higher-ups...they were simply _disgusting. _More importantly, he hated the influence they held on his brothers.

Of course, none of his brothers had agreed with him.

...And all of them had paid the price.

Two twins, Six Needles, and Human Greed had snatched his brothers' lives away, leaving Fassad lonely, bitter, and spiteful. Fine. If _humans_ had treated his _brothers' lives_ like dirt, then the Magypsy might as well have his own fun with mortals after decades of denial.

Human subjugation seemed like a good place to begin.

With the death of the Magypsies came the death of his identity. No longer was he Lady Locria, the Lone Magypsy, bitterly cursing his brothers' deaths, but Fassad, who swept forth the cruel hand of justice. Fassad wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, and as loathe as he was to crawl back into his former skin for short while, kicking off his high heels, he concluded that the fruits of deception had paid off.

He had gotten what he had wanted.

Fassad glanced almost affectionately at the mute soldier beside him.

Perhaps it was a superiority complex. There had always been something so devastatingly appealing, no, _devilishly intoxicating_ about domination. Fassad absolutely relished the feeling of crushing his victims under his boot. And the adrenaline rush that coursed through his veins at watching them struggle...?

Thrilling. Satisfying.

And Fassad craved_ so much more. _

Giygas, in his desperation to save his surrogate mother, had opened a chance for him to score gold. For an intelligent man, Giygas was gullible. The man himself was a mere figurehead, a scapegoat for his crimes. Nothing more.

The _real_ stick-in-the-mud was Mani-Mani. The spirit was a problematic powerhouse, the very embodiment of chaos. It was madness incarnate. It listened to no one, and took orders from no one. The spirit did whatever it pleased, and that, in its own mind, was spreading its insanity over the world.

What a waste of a wish.

Fassad couldn't let his Needle fall under its hands–more specifically, _Giygas's_ hands. Those two might as well be one entity now.

But for now, he would play along. Fassad would hide under a cowering mask and slip his Aces underneath his sleeve. One way or another, he planned to rid himself of the spirit once Giygas outlived his usefulness.

Then everything would be his.

Everyone would worship him.

And Fassad would finally get the love that he had been wrongfully denied.

Thrilled and giddy with sweet success, Fassad had spent the next few minutes giggling, ordering his new pawn around to _do this_, to _do that_. Fassad had watched the young boy try futile tasks for the sake of his amusement. In a sense, it was a shame that he carried such a deadpan look; Fassad had enjoyed cracking down his feisty fighting spirit. The Magypsy had _loved_ the glare of defiance that the boy had shot him in his last struggle, had _loved _hearing those vulnerable whimpers of pain as the boy reluctantly yielded.

But the expression the boy had worn when Fassad had stabbed him through the heart...?

Priceless.

In fact, Fassad had almost regretted stopping his heart. The Magypsy had been looking forward to relishing the boy's tortured look of despair when they finally dragged in his younger brother. He imagined the glorious scene with vivid enthusiasm, drinking in the rush of irresistible pleasure at the look of horror on his toy's face.

But Fassad banished it with a bright thought; he would have the second twin soon.

And if the younger blond wouldn't cooperate to his demands...

Oh, _yes._ Fassad couldn't wait to crack his spirit too.

"Don't worry, pet," he crooned, petting his Commander affectionately on the head. "Once your brother pulls the Seventh Needle for me, _you_ can get to keep whatever's left of him."

The Masked Man didn't even blink.

Submissive. Absolutely exquisite.

His cell rudely interrupted the moment with a shrill _beep._ Satisfied, Fassad flicked it open with a carefully manicured nail. "Did you miss me, darling?" he crooned.

.

d̳̔͆̉ͦ̽͊O͚͚̫̹̭̗͓ͪ͊̒̌͆̃ͤ͋͜ͅ ̨̳̫̬̟̭̮̯̻͛̈͐̆͐̀N̑̍ͫ̑͏͇̩͘o̯̮͒͂̊͋̽́͟ţ̲͍ͬ̅ͨ͌ ̡͚͙̳ͧ̑̕͟s̖̬̭̺̀ͭ̏͑͆̓̌̐͘͢p̥̯͓̙͇̳͚̞͛ͦ͒ͯͬ̾͡Ȩ̴͇̰̱̳̲̟͋̌̋ͬ̽ͅa̛͔̰̘̲̓͂̏k̸̺̖̗̬̤̟̳ͨ̄ͣ̈́̀̀͜ͅ ̿̋̑͏͏͈̣͔̹̱̗̹t̜͖͐̓ͫ̈̚o̶̶̰̺ͨ͒̄̈́ͯ́̕ ̷̟̬̑͑̃M̶̛̜̖̱̼̻̯̻̊ͤ̃ͮ͝è҉̙͜͝ͅ ̢̥̋ͯ̑̔̒̈́i͍̰͖͕̲͈̭̬ͯͦ̑̂ͫ̄͒̃̿n̢̘͚̲͍̭̜͛̃͗ͫ͋̓́ ̙̝͇̅̈́̔ͣ͐͛t̴͓͉̲̠̗͖̊̅͗̋͒̚͟Ḣ͓̱̐̎ͧ̐ͭ̉a̞̦̱̗͕͖̣̫̮͐̋tͩ͑ͩͦ̆͐҉̟ ̴̲̳͔̞͎͈̱ͣͯ̿́͜ḋ͖̜̞̻̠͎̣͓͕ͨͯ͋̂̽͛̔ͧI͙̠͚̩͍̍̈́S̗̻̗̭͋́ͫͣͭ̃̈͘g̨͔͎̅́r̯͙̆̀̍̿͑̈́̀ȧͭͪ̍͜͜҉̜͎͉̣Á͙͎͇̰̜̭ͧ͛̏̑̐͆̾͟͢c̵̢̗͐͗ͭ͜e̛͚̮̚f̟͍͙̖̰͈ͥ̂͌͒̃Uͬ̍̊͑͡ͅL͙̗͖͔̋̓͗ ̯̼̲̗̐̃̄̂ͮ͊̄t̵̨͔͔̥̃O̵͍̤̅̇ͪ̍͟͞N̷͊̃͏̴̰̫̖͍͓e̶̺̪

'

Upon hearing the voice on the other end, Fassad's half-lidded eyes widened. "I-I've opened your little present," he stammered. "Everything is under control!"

.

Ḯ̳͎̖̱̗̜ͬͪͯ͑̿̇̕ ͨͩ͌̚Ą͉̻̬̘̟̂̊̍̍m̪̜̩͇̤̯ͣ̉̂͌͆ͧ ̦̬̻̥̃ͩw̲̲̫ͨ͌̔̿̾͋A̢͎̺̫̝̅͂T̟͕ͣ̌̄͆č̤͉͚̥ͫ̉̒̃͠H̵͕͚̲͈ͥ̇̓̿į̷̰̫͉͈͒ͤ̅͛͑ṇ̎̈́̾G͚ͧͅ ̞̦̄̓ͦ͂ͮͯ̑y̡̜̳͍̩̲̼̎ͅOͥ̌̕ṳ̥̝͍͚̪. ̸̘̫̯̜̟̏̿͒̔ͤͯ̓d̶̺̖̣̺͖̗̘̆Ö̬͖̓ͦ̾̀͛ͧ ̦̼̫͖̖͉̊͂͗͊n̙̖̖͙ͯͧͪ͌̅̌̃͘ͅO͓̥̺ͫ̃ͤ́ͫ̊͝Ţ̩̱̖̙̅ͬ ̞̘F̿̃͂͝Ă̶̺̲̟̜ͥ̆̔i̔̿ͪ҉͔̟̩̩Ḽ̢̰̘͎̯͚̀. ̟ͣ

'

The connection cut off.

Fassad's expression instantly soured. Fat fingers tightened around plastic, itching to crush the phone in its hand.

"Of course, _darling._" Muttering under his breath, Fassad stiffly stowed away his phone. "_Master of Illusions_. Please, dear. My magic talent _far_ outshines your simple parlor tricks."

Briefly, his gaze flickered to his mute subordinate. The Masked Man watched the burning valley with expressionless eyes.

With the content air of a man gazing at a feast, Fassad purred, letting his lips curl into a devious smile.

Phase Two was about to begin.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The sharp tang of acrid rust made their eyes water.

Ness gritted his teeth as his bat swung into empty air. Jumping back, he dodged a strike, rolling to the side. He couldn't afford to miss; one unlucky hit could send any of them out of commission.

Behind him, Ninten clasped his hands together, mouthing incantations under his breath. Like tongues of flashing fire, light scattered beneath their feet in colorful waves.

Sensing something to his right, Ness flattened himself against the ground. The Starman's beam narrowly grazed past, singing his cheek. He jerked to his feet, gripping his bat for a second swing, but Lucas emerged, fully flooding the air with crackling ozone. Blue eyes glowing with a hair-raising intensity, Lucas was a Devil in the battlefield; magical sparks danced behind his shadow as another PK Love burst from his open arms. Beautiful fireworks of azure soared, ruthlessly attacking any Starman in its path of destruction.

Panting from exhaustion, Lucas doubled over, resting his hands on his thighs. Sweat dripped from his blond bangs.

Taking advantage of his cool down, three Starman materialized behind him.

**"PSI Bloc-"**

Slamming two Starmen into each other, Ness viciously smashed the daylights out of the third. With a weak fizzle, they sputtered into a pile of nails and bolts.

That was too close.

Lucas flashed him a weak smile. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Ness said, cracking the helm of another Starman before it could crush his femur.

With a series of monotonous clicks and whirs, yet another daring Starman slunk forward, wrapping his arms around Ninten's ankles, but furious, Ness blasted it aside with an erratic tattoo of music notes.

Ninten's pale face resurfaced from the sea of gray. "Duck!" he yelled, notching several PowerShields in his hand. He hurled the flat frisbees with a viscious swipe; each one hit their mark, slicing into his target with a sizzling _scraaaape._

Minor cuts and bruises quickly littered their skin. Blasting another row of Starmen out of their path, Lucas unsteadily swayed on his feet. Noticing, Ness dragged him upright.

"Is it just me, or are they holding back?" Lucas rasped, healing the bloody cut on his shoulder.

"They're definitely holding back," Ness said harshly, beheading another Starman with his frying pan. "They want us alive."

"**ᗷOᑎK ᕼᕮᗩᗪ. OᑌᑕᕼIᕮ!**"

"What the...?!" Wild-eyed, Ninten dived forward, pushing the Mr. Saturn out of the way. A magical beam shot over their heads, hitting a frozen tree. The melting, oozing bark dissolved in a shower of fiery-red sparks. "What are _you_ still doing here?!"

"**ᖴIᔕᕼIᑎG ᖴOᖇ ᗷIᖇᗪIᕮᔕ.**"

As another Starman hurtled towards them, Ninten frantically threw the Mr. Saturn out of the way. The Mr. Saturn soared over the houses with a scream. "SORRY!" Ninten yelled after it.

"You just threw an innocent person into the air," Ness reminded him.

"S'not like I had a choice!" Ninten snapped, looking rather guilty.

As they backed away, fending off their attackers, in no time, the training grounds came into view.

Or at least, what was left of the training grounds.

The rich, sunrise-orange canyon was now a smoking black crater.

Seizing the chance for a brief reprieve, Ness ferociously lunged forward, grabbing his friends by the arms. The familiar tickling sensation raced up his legs, and Ness closed his eyes as the PK Teleport washed over his mind.

Another tickle, and their surroundings fizzled into place. Ness turned to his friends in concern, reflecting dancing flames in his eyes.

Next to him, Ninten sank to his knees, coughing and retching on the fumes. Lucas's eyes were glued to the burning village as if expecting to see his brother pop out of the smoke, laughing that it had been a cruel joke all along.

But this was no joke.

This was a nightmare that felt far too real.

Without further ado, Lucas lurched in the direction of the burning village.

Caught by surprise, Ness darted forward, catching him by the wrist. "Where are you going?"

Lucas clenched his teeth. "You two go ahead. I'm going to find Claus and BuzzBuzz."

"You won't find Claus there," Ness said, his gaze flickering over to Ninten's stark expression. "If Claus has half the brains he does, then he'd know better than to come back."

The younger twin shook his head. "He'd still come back for us," he muttered, eyes wrought with worry. "He wouldn't wait it out."

"They're after _you."_

"Exactly. Listen, if I act as a distraction, then you two could-"

"No. We're not having this talk again." Ness met his eyes. "Trust me, Lucas. We'll find Claus."

Torn, Lucas stared back, obviously weighing his options. He trembled in place, blue eyes looking unusually bright within the depths of his sooty face. Dirt-caked knees buckling from exhaustion, Lucas attempted to speak, but teetered dangerously to the side before his legs finally caved in, sending him sprawling onto the ground in an insensible heap.

Alarmed, they rushed over, frantically yelling his name in sync.

It was Ninten who got there first. He caught Lucas in time, hoisting him up by underarms, but unable to hold up their combined weight, squeaked, sinking in danger of being flattened to death.

Ness quickly saved him the trouble, managing to lift Lucas into a comfortable position against a charred stump. Overtaken by his boy scout reflexes, Ness checked his pulse and breathing.

Transfixed by horror, Ninten crouched next to him. "Is he okay?"

Ness pulled away. Violet eyes trailed onto his friend's madly convulsing form. "I don't know..."

Brilliant blue eyes burst open. Breathing heavily, Lucas doubled over, shakily clutching his chest in a mad seizure. "C-Can't b-b-breathe..."

Ness swore under his breath, then tightly gripped his wrist. "Lucas, can you walk?"

As the younger twin tried to push himself up, he contorted, recoiling with a violent flinch. Consumed by another flare of agony, Lucas instinctively dug his nails into Ness's arm.

The older teen winced. "Ow."

"S-Sorry, Ness, I-" Another jolt of pain racked through his body, and this time, Lucas clenched his teeth as it mercilessly shredded through his screaming nerves. "U-Uuugh..."

"Don't talk! Don't move!" Ninten blurted out, looking absolutely terrified. "Just...stay still! You might tear a muscle!"

Lucas managed to crack a weak laugh. "I think you're going a little overboard-"

Then his entire world exploded into pain.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

His heart fluttered and gasped.

Exhaling a hoarse cry, Lucas spasmed as a ragged jolt of agony tore through his insides. Consumed by another hot wave of unimaginable agony, he bucked, opening his mouth in a silent scream as he twisted around, trying to free himself of the scorching steel searing and stabbing his dying heart-

"What's happening to him?!"

"He's going into shock!"

"Heal him!"

"Hold him down!"

"Lucas?! Hey, buddy, speak to me-"

"LifeUp!"

The sweet aroma of overripe pineapples filled his nose. For a second, the refreshing sensation momentarily cleared his mind, filling it with a breeze of bliss before he fell, plunging straight towards the sea of terrifying madness.

Then his reflection flickered and blurred, and he was Claus, drowning, drowning in his tears, and suddenly, Lucas felt afraid, so so afraid, but he couldn't tell who was who, because where one ended the other began-

A violent shudder crawled up his spine as he crashed headfirst into glass, shattering ripples across its smooth surface. Icy arms snaked around his chest, crushing his lungs in a deadly embrace, and Lucas exhaled, sinking like a stone into the howling depths of despair.

Darkness swallowed him whole.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"..._Lucas...!"_

Voicing his name on pale lips, Ness desperately shook Lucas's limp shoulders.

But nothing worked.

Lucas wouldn't wake.

"I can't read his mind. It's gone completely blank," Ninten said, sounding rather hoarse. He threw his hands into the air in panic. "CLAUS, THAT _IDIOT!_ Where's the overprotective brother when you need him?!"

Gingerly, Ness picked Lucas up, resting him back against the charred stump. He could still feel his own heart racing one million miles an hour, beating so quickly that he was afraid it was going to leap right out of his ribcage.

This was not how Ness had envisioned the end of their stay, with BuzzBuzz missing and Claus disappearing into the middle of nowhere.

"Ness…" Ninten voiced again, sounding terribly uncertain. "What should we do?"

Ness stared at the burning inferno around him.

_"What should we do?"_

_"Nothing." With an irritated grunt, he crankily turned over and buried his head underneath his pillow. "It's just a thunderstorm, Trace. Go back to sleep."_

_Shivering, cold fingers wrapped around his shoulder. A whisper. "Nii-chan. I'm scared…" A crack of thunder. A flinch. A soft whimper. "P-Please…I'm s-s-scared…"_

_Ness cracked his eye open by a sliver._

_Clad in her red nightgown, his terrified sister stared back, shakily squeezing her teddy bear for dear life. _

_Without another word, Ness sighed, then rolled over. In relief, Tracy crawled into the sheets, then buried her forehead into his back. In return, Ness shifted to the side, trying not to get smothered to death by her hair._

_"Nightmare?"_

_A nod._

_"What about?"_

_Tracy made a face. "Like I'd tell you. Don't tell mom, okay?"_

_"Uh...sure." Shaking his head, Ness shifted in place. "Since when did you speak Dalaamese?" he muttered sleepily._

_"Eh…here and there."_

_"Yaoi fangirl."_

_Her cheeks completely red, Tracy punched him in the shoulder, and Ness laughed, trying to fend her off. "I'm an otaku," she huffed in correction, looking rather disgruntled. "There's a difference."_

_Ness closed his eyes. "I don't get how you're so into that stuff. Anime's not real, you know."_

_"I know. You don't have to tell me! " Tracy said somewhat defensively. "And don't treat it like trash-"_

_"I never said that. I don't have anything against anime." Ness stretched his arms. "You know that."_

_Tracy shifted under the covers. "Yeah." she said quietly. "Life's not always about perfect hugs and kisses and romance._ _I know. I'm not stupid, Ness. It's just…sometimes, I wish it was. Then mom wouldn't have divorced dad."_

_The covers suddenly felt too cold for his liking._

_Tracy fell silent. "Nii-chan?"_

_"What?"_

_She snuggled up against him. "Momma's boy. You've always been such a huge softie inside. It's okay. I'm tough. One day, you won't need to look after me, because I'll grow strong. I'll be there to help you."_

_Ness rolled his eyes. "Not happening in a million years."_

_A defensive pout. "Yeah-huh."_

_"Weirdo. I'm supposed to look after you, not the other way around," Ness corrected, bopping her on the nose. "So don't you get any wild ideas."_

_"Meanie."_

"Ness?"

Ness turned around, reflecting dancing flames in his eyes.

He was the eldest.

Their safety was his priority.

Suddenly, Ness gripped the youngest teen by the shoulders. At his touch, Ninten jerked, startled at his reaction. Ninten peered up; violet eyes flickering in shadow, Ness's features had tightened, closing into an unreadable expression.

"Ken," he said quietly. "Can I trust you?"

Ken.

Not Ninten.

Ness had used his birth name.

Ninten swallowed hard. "What's up?"

"I want you to take Lucas, and run the hell out of here."

Face blanching, Ninten backed away. "Ness, you can't possibly-"

"BuzzBuzz is stuck in the hospital. I need to get him out." Readjusting the brim of his cap, the older teen turned away. "You two head for the woods and hide. Search for Claus. You never know. Lucas is right; he'll probably pop up at some point."

Clenching his teeth, Ninten vehemently curled his fingers into fists. "Let me help. I'm your best shot against Giygas-"

"That's why I need you two to stick together."

"You can't be serious!" Ninten exploded, furiously waving his arms. "Ness, we're not leaving you behind! Not after...not after..." he clenched his fists. "Damn it! You can't expect me to let you go too."

"You're not leaving me behind. I'll be back."

"Do you see _this__?!"_ Laughing darkly, Ninten gestured at his scrawny self. "I can barely carry twenty pounds!"

"You have telepathy. You have the smarts. I trust you."

"But-"

Gaze hardening, Ness met his eyes. "Go."

Ninten couldn't argue with the resolve he saw in those depths. For a minute, he seemed to struggle for words to say, trying to think of a good counterargument. But finally, Ninten draped Lucas's arms over his back. "If you get yourself killed, I won't ever forgive you," he spat.

Ness nodded.

Then with a violent oath, Ninten whirled around and staggered into the foliage.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

A third ticklish sensation later, Ness materialized inside a burning home. Quickly, he sprinted out, diving and ducking behind yawning roofs and protruding stone.

By the time he had made his way back into Saturn Valley, a massive sea of metal bodies had flooded the streets. A swarm of Starmen Juniors infested the dead village, whirring and clicking in their odd language. It had been good foresight on his part to teleport Lucas and Ninten out; had they stayed, the wave of Starmen would have overwhelmed them in seconds.

The village was noticeably empty of short, bumbling creatures.

The distinct lack of Mr. Saturn quickly caught his conscience. Ness swallowed down the sour taste in his mouth; he hoped that they had evacuated the premises safely. After all the help they had received from the kind creatures, their considerate hosts certainly didn't deserve the destruction of their homes.

A cloud crawled over the moon.

Ness stiffened.

Like a giant eye, the sky flickered, blinking into darkness. The very air itself seemed to hang still, shivering in intense anticipation. Static raised all the hairs on the nape of his neck.

Then an unearthly roar of ancient power burst into his eardrums.

＂**ƤƘ Ѕτλгsτσгϻ~**❤**!**＂

A sonic wave peaked in pitch, climbing higher and higher before collapsing into a shivering scream. With a magnificent crack of thunder, the stars glowed a painful white, blinding and scorching the earth below...

Pupils dilating in shock, Ness blindly stumbled away, because there was _no_ way he was seeing what he thought he had seen.

But his eyes didn't deceive him.

The sky was _falling._

Crimson-streaked comets slammed into the earth in a rocking explosion of magical fire, each tongue of flame sending the ground roiling like jelly at his feet. The Mr. Saturn scrambled about in a panic, babbling out words he could not understand. In the loud rush of cacophony, Ness unsteadily stumbled, caught between a sudden rush of adrenaline and a primal fear to _run away as fast as he could-_

"-bborn as always, Buzz Buzz. Have fun with your demise. Ohohoho~❤"

Hearing the crunch of boots on concrete, Ness quietly snuck around the corner, ducking into an abandoned house. Amidst the flames, a pair of dark silhouettes painted the ground. One was rather short and plump–this person, Ness assumed, was the spell caster. Despite his light, airy tone, the man carried himself with a heavy smell of destruction. Ness shivered, but before he could comprehend the feeling, the second silhouette passed by.

This figure was tall and lanky.

A chill crawled up Ness's spine; something about the Masked Man made Ness feel very uneasy. A certain stoicism in his gait seemed quite familiar, but Ness couldn't put his mind to it.

For a second, the figure stiffly halted, casting a shadow across the open doorway.

Ness flinched, ducking behind the fallen beams.

Then the cheerful voice returned. "Come now, pet! There'll be plenty of time for fooling around later~❤"

The shadow slunk away.

Hearing their footsteps died away, Ness exhaled, trying to steady his shaking limbs. From what he had heard, he had no time to waste; Buzz Buzz was stuck in dire peril.

**"Did you think that you could save him, Time Traveler?"**

Ness jolted at the ominous groan. Pushing a beam out of the way, he squinted, peering out of the cracked window in horror.

The Starman Deluxe stood alone in the wreckage, its red insignia glinting on its chest. Something about this Starman spelled DEADLY in capital letters; armoured spines decorated its shoulders and helmet in a pointy sheen of silver. A strange, inhuman intelligence lay in its shadowed visor.

Its trembling victim lay kneeling at its feet. The glowing speck flickered feebly in the dying light.

Ness's blood ran cold. "Buzz Buzz..."

**"You stand no match against me. I am the final product of stolen PSI, artificial intelligence at its finest. Behold, the ultimate specimen of Master Giygas's research facility!"**

With a derisive laugh, the time traveler bitterly wiped the blood from his lips. "You make me sick. I won't let you get your hands on the others."

**"****You've been successful at foiling Master Giygas' plans. But Fassad is right. You are no hero. You are just a useless insect." **With a horrible creak of metal, it tilted its helmet over his downed form. **"Prepare to die."**

"DIE?! I still have enough firepower left in these bones!" BuzzBuzz roared, flicking the plastic switch. "AIR GUN, GO!"

A monstrous blast of wind engulfed the Starman Deluxe, swallowing it up into a spiral of dirt. The force of buffeting air was so strong that Ness gripped the windowsill, sheltering himself from the roaring tornado. As it finally settled, Ness watched intently, desperately hoping that the Starman had been knocked out. But when the familiar sheen of silver gleamed, unharmed amidst the sand, Ness's heart fell.

**"Pitiful. You are as weak as I had calculated."**

Buzz Buzz didn't respond. He wheezed, caught by a sudden fit of coughing.

Charging up its laser, the Starman's eyes glowed a bright red. **"I will erase your existence from the face of the planet. Farewell, _Time Traveler._"**

Without second thought, Ness crashed through broken glass. "NOOO!"

Turning to its new arrival in surprise, the Starman Deluxe narrowed its lens. It hummed electronically. **"What is this? An intervention?"**

"NESS, YOU IDIOT!" Buzz Buzz suddenly roared, looking unusually pale. "Have you gone mad?!"

Ignoring him, Ness flipped his cap around, then tensed into a protective stance. "You've gone too far," he said, gazing up at the Starman Deluxe with unbridled fury. "I won't let you hurt my friends."

**"If you won't move out of my way...*Whirrr*"** The Starman Deluxe shook in a deep rumble–a mimicry of an amused laugh. **"Then ****I'll stomp you hard****."**

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Thunder boomed.

Shooting Stars screamed, whizzing past in roiling tongues of magical fire.

In the blazing ruins they stood, robot and boy, two sentient minds fixated on a stubborn cause.

One was graced to live.

The other was doomed to fall.

The Starman Deluxe made the first move. A hot beam sliced a smile into the snow, and hearing the mad sizzle, Ness gritted his teeth, rolling under another beam as it nearly scraped his ear. Swiveling its helmet, the Starman Deluxe turned, aiming its next shot at the downed figure on the ground. Upon catching Buzz Buzz still coughing into the snow, Ness swore, lunging in to take the hit.

Anticipating the move, the Starman Deluxe materialized behind him and swiftly jabbed him in the kidney.

Ness saw stars.

And he wasn't talking about the night sky.

Writhing in pain, Ness collapsed, clutching his side. He was at a clear disadvantage; the Starman Deluxe clearly had no qualms about killing Buzz Buzz off.

Two PK Beams came their way, and Ness crossed his arms in a defensive formation, taking the hit. The lasers scalded his skin in a spike of pain, but Ness quickly healed his burns. Calling on his inner core of power, he wrapped himself in a veil of light.

"Shield!"

A hot, searing agony coursed through his veins, and gasping, Ness twisted around. "B-But...how-"

**"Foolish boy. A lowly _Shield_ cannot save you from my magical attacks." **the Starman Deluxe droned, cocking his head. **"Allow me to instruct you****. PSI SHIELD!"**

A cold feeling crawled down his back. Ness couldn't conjure PSI Shield. It was one of the few abilities he had never learned.

PK Rockin' wasn't going to save him this time.

Once again, the clouds shifted, rumbling in erratic staccato. Ness could feel the static build up; the hair on his arms rose with the dread in his throat. The air charged up once more like a bottled-up soda can, ready to explode at the drop of a word-

**"PK STARSTOOOOOORM!"**

Blazing comets screamed through the sky. They slammed into the ground once more, churning shrapnel into liquid around his feet. Flashing a blinding white, the last comet hurtled close, madly careering towards his head like a bludger.

Scrunching his eyes, Ness readied himself to heal, firmly planting the grip of his soles into the dirt-

"PSI Shield!"

Ness's eyes snapped open in shock.

A clear barrier flashed beneath his feet. With a crunch akin to crackling popcorn, the PSI shield swallowed up the magical meteor. Cancelling out the mystical force, the shield voraciously ate up energy, then spat out a thousand harmless nanoparticles that cascaded over him a shower of sparkles.

A voice rasped from behind him. "Stupid boy. Did you think I'd let you fight alone?"

Instantly, a grin made his way to Ness's lips. "Buzz Buzz!"

"Right in one. You an' me, we're taking down this metal hulk together." Cracking his knuckles, Buzz Buzz grunted, then charged up his blaster. "Don't you dare die on me, Ness. I swear, if you get yourself killed, I won't ever forgive you."

Something about that phrase warmed his heart.

With a nod, Ness charged up his PSI.

**"Give up, Time Traveler,"** the Starman Deluxe groaned, sliding its metallic head with a creak. **"Your time here is almost up."**

"Like hell I'm leaving so soon!" Snapping his pistol to the side, Buzz Buzz fired another blast of air. "EAT THIS, METAL BRAIN!"

The resulting tornado roared down at them, trapping the Starman Deluxe inside. Ness weaved in, dealing several swift blows. Another PK beam exploded at his feet, and Ness jumped backwards.

For the first time, things seemed to be going their way.

Lights blared. The radar beeped.

Contraptions emitted a hollow wail, shivering in protest.

Steaming clouds of dark smoke, the Starman Deluxe staggered forward. **"C-Curses..."**

Several rapid-fire shots punched the Starman in quick succession; Buzz Buzz had switched to a stun ray. "After me!" he barked, charging up a last shot. As soon as electricity blasted out with a deafening bang, Ness leaped over him, raising his baseball bat for the finishing blow.

**ＳＭＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＡＳＨ！**

Emitting a shriek like nails on chalk, the Starman Deluxe stumbled back. Flailing wildly in a desperate attempt to keep its balance, it fell, pitching over with a heart-racing _thump._ A lone dust cloud swept over his shattered form.

The puff of dirt cleared.

The Starman Deluxe moved no more.

Ribs heaving, Ness took a moment to catch his breath, staggering onto his feet. Somehow, someway, they had both beaten the inevitable and survived against all odds. Ness could barely believe their luck. A fat grin stretched across his face, and filled with a rush of excitement, he jumped, punching the air with a loud laugh. "We did it!"

Buzz Buzz rolled his eyes and pocketed his stun gun. "Woo," he said sarcastically. "Throw another _life-saving_ stunt like that, and I'll stun you myself."

Still grinning like a moron, Ness made his way over to the Starman Deluxe. He carefully peered into its weakly-sizzling parts. "Buzz Buzz, you were about to be blasted into oblivion," he said, turning around to face the time traveler. "I couldn't just stand and watch."

"Irrelevant. I technically don't exist, remember? You shouldn't have returned for me." Buzz Buzz uneasily glanced at the burning village. An unidentifiable expression made its way onto his face. "Um...listen here, Ness..."

Ness raised his head.

Unable to look his way, Buzz Buzz glared at the ground. "Thanks. You know. Even though it was stupid."

Sheepishly, Ness rubbed the back of his neck. "It's nothing. I mean, it's not like I did it alo-"

A fearful expression suddenly flashed across Buzz Buzz's face. "Ness! Look out!"

Pain shot up his screaming wrist. The baseball bat slipped out of Ness's loose fingers with a dull thunk.

Cold arms wrapped around his torso, crushing Ness like a pair of insidious chains. Panicking, he struggled, wildly blasting out PSI at abandon, but to his dread, his efforts resounded with a tell-tale _thonk_–the Starman's PSI Shield held firm. Within the blink of an eye, the decomposing mass of metal yanked his flailing form close, pinning him against its rusty chest.

Instantly, Buzz Buzz twisted around, aiming his pistol, but the Starman mechanically lifted its head.

**"Kill me, and you kill the boy."**

The finger on the trigger froze.

"Buzz Buzz! What are you waiting for?!" Ness yelled, lashing out with blazing psychokinetic energy. Music notes feebly twanged against metal like the sounds of a hollow tin can. "Shoot him!"

The smoking barrel shook.

**"I am but a mere distraction,"** The Starman Deluxe groaned. **"Master Fassad has been playing you for fools. Even as we speak, he confronts the Needle Puller."**

The time traveler violently swore under his breath. "Damn it! You shouldn't have turned back for me, Ness!"

**"Buzz Buzz...****You are nothing but a disgrace." **Pieces of the Starmen flew together like a magnet, clumping together and strapping around Ness's shoulders like a heavy backpack. **"You couldn't protect the Chosen Four in your timeline. You failed them, just like you failed them now. Go ahead. Why not tell the boy here how you failed him and his friends in the past-"**

Contorting with sudden emotion, Buzz Buzz tightened his grip on the stun gun. "Shut your mouth!" he barked, spittle flying from his lips. "You've got the nerve to use a child as a human shield, Giygas!"

The Starman Deluxe gazed at him. **"Giygas is merely my creator. I ****am a sentient, learning program, placed under the tutelage of Master Fassad. And**** Master Fassad is right. Humans never learn. You repeat the same mistakes from the past. None of you know when to give up."**

"Buzz Buzz!" Ness gasped, madly twisting around. "Shoot him!"

"Shut up! You're in the damn line of fire!"

**"Allow me to demonstrate."**

With a shrill beep, the visor of the Starman Deluxe clicked and whirred. Flashing numbers replaced the black film.

A countdown.

Brown eyes dilated in horror.

**"You lose, Buzz Buzz."**

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ness was an awful planner.

Ninten had never wanted to strangle anyone more in his life.

_Then why didn't you stop him from leaving?_

Shut up, self.

A dead branch entangled his ankle, and Ninten tripped, falling face first into the snow. He struggled, rolling the body flattening him to the side, then furiously pushed himself back up.

"Stupid Ness and his stupid hero complex...I swear, we shouldn't have split up..." Muttering angrily under his breath, Ninten hoisted Lucas's arm over his shoulder. "And where the hell is your brother? Danger, my ass. I bet Claus is lounging around, laughing his high horse off. _Ninten, you look so stoopid. Durrhurrhurr._" Balling up his fists, Ninten screamed up into the night sky. "CLAUS, YOU ASSHOLE! HELP ME CARRY YOUR BROTHER, GODDAMNIT!"

Several ravens scattered, cawing in alarm at his spiel.

Breathing heavily, Ninten clamped his mouth shut, and tried to compose himself. He couldn't afford to let his anxiety get the best of him; wherever Claus was, Ninten had to believe that he was okay. That sorry prat said that he'd be back.

Until then, Ninten had to be strong.

Ness was counting on him.

Courage bolstering his mind, Ninten peered through the foliage. A mass of Starman had clustered on the outskirts of the village, _exactly_ where Ness had teleported them. Ninten breathed out a sigh of relief. As long as he didn't use PSI, they couldn't find him.

Genius.

A voice from above interrupted his musing.

"*******Whiiir**Click* Scanning...Scanning...**"

_Shit!_

Exhaling a panicked breath, Ninten tried to tug Lucas's limp form behind a tree. But when Lucas didn't budge, Ninten's eyes blinked in the dark, frantically darting over his prone form.

Of course. Another thicket of branches had entangled Lucas's foot.

_I HATE MY LIFE!_

Desperately, Ninten rushed over, yanking at his limp ankle to no avail. Changing tactics, he desperately clawed at the branches, trying to pick them apart. Once again, Ninten heard the Starman whirring closer, then accelerated his efforts, scrabbling at the frozen bark so hard that his fingers turned numb.

Oh, why did Lucas have to be so friggin tall?

A shadow loomed over him.

Ninten stiffened. His fingers flew out of wood, ready to cast a spell-

**"PSI Block."**

Well, so much for fast reflexes.

Then a pair of arms unceremoniously flipped him upside down by the ankles. **"Scanning...Scanning..."**

"Put me down!"

**"DNA match: _Homo sapiens. _Gender: Male. Identification: Master Ken. Calculus grade: Atrocious."**

Feeling strangely violated, Ninten squirmed in its grip. He lashed out, hoping to strike lucky, but the weak blows didn't even faze the strange Starman. In fact, instead of its usual silver sheen, the glowing robot was painted a happy apple-red.

It then proceeded to cuddle the daylights out of him. **"Mwaah~****"**

"...you're defective, aren't you?"

In response, its screen flickered with a warm emoticon. "~**(＾▽＾)~**"

"Bad robot!" Ninten hissed, flailing at the overly affectionate piece of metal. "Go! Shoo!"

**"Name Eeeeeeve."**

"Go hug someone else!" For a few seconds, Ninten dangled upside down, trying to twist himself out, but the robot's vice-like grip on his ankles was too firm. Giving up all together, Ninten panted, hanging limply in its grasp. He glared daggers at the root still entwined around Lucas's ankle. They had been defeated...all because of a stupid tree.

A rustle of leaves caught his attention. Alarmed, he jerked his head up.

Someone else was coming this way.

Out of a last-ditch effort, Ninten frantically began pushing Lucas with a telekinetic force. As if possessed, Lucas limply rolled over, his body refusing to move any farther; his foot was _still_ caught in the brambles. Making a rather undignified noise at the back of his throat, Ninten strained his mind, coaxing his friend's ankle out of the root.

"Oh my! What have you got there, Eve?"

Terrified, Ninten accidentally shoved Lucas too hard, finally cracking the root; Lucas's limp body sailed through the air from sheer momentum, burying itself into the snowdrift with a dull _fwump. _Quickly, Ninten regained his composure, trying not to look too guilty.

Just in time too. With a trailing perfume of rotting bananas, a thick, burly man emerged from the ceiling.

No, wait. Ninten was still hanging upside down.

Thankfully, Eve flipped him over, then cuddled his dazed form with renewed intensity. Static stung his cheeks.

Oh dear god, not again.

"Cut it out," Ninten hissed, squirming in embarrassment.

"Awww~" Evidently pleased, the man placed a gloved hand to his lips. "We found ourselves a stray~❤"

Snapping his glare to him, Ninten tried to look pointedly annoyed. "Oh...er, who the fuck are you?"

The Magypsy beamed. "Oh. _Oh_. Well, aren't you a dear!" he crooned, pinching Ninten's cheek. "I'm just a beloved friend of your dear old _Oncle._ You can call me, Uncle Fassad. And you..." Fassad peered at him. "You must be his renegade nephew! Little Ninten, is it? Who's a pwecious baby boy? Yes, _you_ are~❤"

Grimacing, Ninten pulled away.

Fassad tutted, shaking his head. "Dear, you have _no_ idea how thrilled your uncle will be to see you. We've all been expecting you." A knowing grin wickedly spread across his cheeks. Turning away, the Magypsy hummed, then glanced around. "Now...that's one...the other can't be too far away..." Sparing him a side-glance, Fassad sweetly beamed up at him. "Darling, a young lad like you couldn't have been wandering off into the woods alone~ Where's your friend?"

Ninten laughed nervously, mentally tugging Lucas out of the snow pile with little success. "Which one?"

"Oh, tall, lanky. Blond. I don't suppose you've seen him anywhere, have you?"

Sweat dripped down from Ninten's brow. Lucas's lower half was still sticking out of the snowpile; if Fassad so much as looked down, they were both goners.

"I'm alone," he lied, quietly begging Lucas to wake up and save their hides.

_Seriously, Lucas, why the fuck are you so tall?!_

Peering into the bustling canopy, Fassad thoughtfully stroked his chin. Black, beady eyes searched their surroundings with painstaking accuracy. "Hmm...is that so? I was under the impression that you were speaking to someone earlier."

"I was talking to myself," Ninten said flatly. "You got a problem with that?"

"...Yes. In fact, yes I do." Fassad's hand erupted into flames. His smile seemed more menacing; a hard look entered his eyes. "A little shy of speaking, sugar? Don't worry. I can give you a little_...incentive."_

Blanching in panic, Ninten desperately scrabbled at his metal restraints. "I d-don't know where he is, okay? He's not here!"

"Oh, that's what they all say~❤" Fassad said sweetly, then reached for his face with a burning thumb. Heat smothering his lungs, Ninten instinctively scrunched his eyes, pulling away as far as he could, but the hot brand was only inches away from his forehead-

The shower of blue hexagons engulfed the hand in a roaring wave.

Ninten's gaze snapped to his timely savior.

Shaking exhaustion graced Lucas's features. Half-melted frost coated his hair, glittering in a multicolored crown of iridescent ice. A heavy weariness weighed down the bags under his eyes, but Lucas looked every bit as ready to fight.

"Drop him," Lucas said harshly.

Fassad tittered. "Well, if it isn't the Needle Puller himself! I'm so honored~❤" Ninten stiffened; he didn't like the triumphant leer glittering in those eyes. "Sweetheart, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment..."

"Lucas, run!" Ninten shouted, keeping his eyes on the Magypsy. "He wants _you__!_"

Within the blink of an eye, Lucas had fluidly slashed through Ninten's restraints with another flurry of hexagons. Eve, though unharmed, cocked her head curiously, then dropped her passenger to the ground in a gesture of surprise. As soon as Ninten fell, Lucas pulled him up, dragging him into the foliage.

Fassad's amused voice trailed after them. "And where do you think you're going, sweetums?"

"Away."

"Really now?"

Lucas ignored him.

"You look just like your brother~❤"

Lucas halted. A strange truth rang within the Magypsy's words, and it made him feel _very_ uneasy.

"Don't listen to him," Ninten muttered, prodding Lucas's stiff figure. "I doubt he's ever met your brother before-"

"The cold shoulder? I suppose it must run through the family. Your brother was quite the character too." Fassad's grin widened. "He died, begging me to spare your life."

Wide-eyed, Lucas staggered to a stop.

Taking a drag of smoke, a curly wisp of color escaped from the Magypsy's lips. "Poor thing," he added sympathetically. "He thought that you didn't love him. Rejected. Neglected. Spurned! He was a tough customer to handle, I'll give him that. But eventually he, like all humans, fell to his ultimate demise. His fatal flaw?" Another breath of smoke. "Hubris."

Shaking, Lucas gripped his fists. "Where's Claus?"

A lazy smile tugged on Fassad's lips. "You think _I_ hurt him? It's not _my_ fault that he felt terribly lonely."

"What did you do to him?!"

"You said it yourself. You grew sick of having him around. And it broke his poor heart into two." As if sharing a private joke, Fassad laughed, fanning his cheeks. "Cursed your name with his last breath~❤"

"_What did you do to my brother?!_"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Fassad turned around. "Come on out, dear. We all want to see your lovely face~❤"

The second presence deliberately stepped forth from the shadows. His tall and lanky stature planted itself in their view. With about as much enthusiasm as a dead corpse, the Masked Man lifted his head.

Blue eyes pierced them from underneath the helmet.

Ninten's breath hitched in his throat. "Is that...?

"Claus," Lucas whispered. In spite of the terrible circumstances, relief clouded his mind.

Claus was still alive.

"Gorgeous, isn't he?" Fassad affectionately traced the tip of his finger along the smooth mask, then with a winning smile, clasped his hands together. "How badly do you want him back?"

Lucas's eyes flickered over to his brother's form, silently drinking in his presence.

"He doesn't remember who you are, nor does he have the heart to care," Fassad said softly, watching him intently. "But I'm not an unmerciful man. I'll give you a sporting chance. A ticket out."

Finally, Lucas tore his eyes away from his brother.

"If your brother wants to return to you, then so be it, darling. I'll gladly set him free. No fee, no charge." Fassad snapped his fingers, and Ninten yelped as Eve cuddled him again, lifting him up into the air. Instinctively, Lucas rushed over, ready to cast another PK Love until the Masked Man blocked his path, forcing him to halt in his tracks.

"Nope. That wouldn't do. I'll give you, and you _alone_, a fighting chance," Fassad said. "No friends. Just you and him. After all, darling, what fun would a gamble be without a little risk?" The Magypsy gave him a knowing grin. "Go ahead. Call out to your brother. See if your voice can touch his heart~❤"

Hesitating, Lucas glanced over.

Catching his gaze, Ninten grimaced, then tried to crack a reassuring grin. "I'll be fine."

Eyes trailing back to his brother's face, Lucas gently prodded his mind.

_Claus. Claus, it's me._

Fassad's booming laugh cut off his telepathy. "That won't do, sweetie. He's been _brainwashed._ How do you expect to win over a heartless soul through his mind?"

Swallowing back his dread, Lucas watched his brother in growing uncertainty.

The Masked Man gazed down at him.

Intimidating.

Sharp.

Amusement brimmed beneath half-lidded slits. "Isn't this what you wanted, darling?" Fassad whispered, eyeing their exchange in quiet laughter. "Well? Prove me wrong. If your _"Power of Love" _is as legendary as they say, then you shouldn't have a problem winning him back. ❤"

Fingers shaking, Lucas slowly reached for him. "Claus, can you hear me?" he asked softly, searching his brother's face for any flicker of recognition.

There was none.

Gently, Lucas grasped his brother's fingers, rubbing reassuring circles into the back of his palms. "How are you feeling?"

No response.

"Your hands are so cold..."

In rapt silence, they watched attentively as Lucas blew air into his brother's icy palms, clasping them within his own. A faint puff of white escaped from his lips; soft breaths trailed over frozen joints, thawing them out with whispered words of encouragement. Slowly, color returned to the white knuckles, instilling numb skin with warmth.

"Do you feel better?"

The Masked Man stared ahead with frigid eyes.

With a halfhearted laugh, Lucas ducked his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, I know. It's stupid, isn't it? I've always done stupid things to get you into trouble." Blue eyes softening, Lucas searched his face again. "Are you mad at me?"

No response.

"Oh. That's okay. I understand." Lucas paused, eyeing the frost on his brother's clothes in concern. "You're covered in snow," he said quietly, wrapping his arms around his brother's stiff shoulders. "No wonder you're freezing all over."

The Masked Man said nothing.

Lucas's expression fell. As if determined to instill warmth into his brother, he embraced him again, clenching him tighter. But Lucas might as well have tried hugging a solid block of ice for all the good it did; even a stone could express more emotion than his brother's face.

His voice wavered. "You're always so warm, Claus...Why are you so cold? It's not like you to be so c-cold..." Fingers desperately dug into his brother's back. "Was it me? Did you think that I didn't care about you? That's not true. I do. Really. I c-can't...Please, Claus, tell me what's wrong. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to make you feel so upset...!"

Fassad slumped against a tree with an impatient groan. "Oh, woe is me! Darling, is this the best you can do?"

"Stop making fun of him!" Ninten snapped.

The Magypsy waved his words off. "Forgive me, sweetheart, but I'm getting sick of watching you make an absolute fool of yourself. We'll see how easily _Love_ crumbles against _Spite._ Watch and learn." A crisp snap of the fingers. "Pet, show him how it's done~❤"

Without warning, the Masked Man jabbed his elbow into Lucas's face. With a nasty, sickening crack, Lucas stumbled backwards, clutching his bloody nose.

Ninten's eyes widened in horror. "What are you doing?!" he screamed at the Magypsy. "This wasn't part of the deal!"

"I said I'd give him a _fighting_ chance," Fassad corrected, absentmindedly picking his nails. "If he doesn't want to fight, then that's not my problem."

Blinded by the bright spots in the vision, Lucas choked when another fist sank beneath his ribs, driving pain into his lungs. Coughing up blood, Lucas pushed himself onto his knees with difficulty, trembling low against the ground.

"You must have been so lonely..." he wheezed. "Claus...I didn't want you to know, because I wanted to _protect_ you. Stupid, right? I'm sorry. I was stupid, and it was all my fault. Please, C-Claus...come back..."

The Masked face hovered inches away from his. Luminous blue eyes burned like deep poison.

Cold.

Merciless.

Unforgiving.

In the blink of an eye, the fist sailed forward. A sickening crack echoed in their ears.

The blow met home.

As quiet as a feather falling onto sand, Lucas crumpled onto the ground like a marionette with its strings cut. His eyes watered, heavy tears threatening to spill over their delicate lashes. "C-Claus..."

Above him, the Masked Man flexed his fingers, then pulled back for another strike-

"NO! DON'T HIT HIM!" Ninten screamed in spite of himself, squirming in Eve's grip. "CLAUS, _STOP!"_

As if deaf to his cries, the Masked Man ignored him. Ninten watched in a twisted rapture, unable to tear his eyes away from the nauseating sight. A brutal uppercut drew blood from gasping lips. A savage kick to the ribs sent his victim doubling over. Bright bruises blossomed across gentle skin. Blow after blow rained upon the shaking boy.

But Lucas refused to cry out. Not even once.

Sweat and tears bled into a crimson pool at his trembling feet.

Fassad smiled.

Yet, Lucas didn't falter. For the fifth, sixth, _tenth _time, Lucas clenched his teeth, determinedly reaching for his brother. A strange fire burned in his eyes.

That was when Ninten realized...

Lucas wasn't going to give up. He would never give up on Claus.

Even if it cost him everything.

Scrunching his eyes shut, Ninten let out a choked sound. "S-Stop..." Wild-eyed, Lucas snapped his attention to him. After a decade of silence, Ninten's ragged voice seemed to cut through their ears like sandpaper. "Lucas, you can't...No more..."

Betrayal dawning in unfocused eyes, Lucas stubbornly shook his head.

"WHY ARE YOU LETTING HIM DO THIS TO YOU?! AT LEAST DEFEND YOURSELF!" Ninten screamed, tears flying out of his eyes. "G-Goddamnit, Lucas! Y-You can't even _stand!"_

Lucas ignored him. Raising a shaking arm, the desperate twin grasped the Masked Man by the hand.

His brother's fingers were still cold.

"Claus...p-p-please..."

In the casual manner of someone finishing a tedious chore, the Masked Man jerked his arm out of the weak grip, then raised his fist to deliver another blow. Swallowing hard, Ninten turned away, unable to watch the cruel torture anymore.

Then a burly hand clamped onto the cold shoulder.

The Masked Man looked up.

Still smiling, Fassad shook his head slightly. "That's enough, pet. I think I've made my point quite clear~❤"

The Masked Man lowered his fist.

With slow steps, Fassad stopped, bending over the battered boy. Ribs heaving with pained effort, Lucas lifted his head. The Magypsy tittered, covering his own mouth with a gloved hand. "See, dear? He does whatever I say. From now on, he's no longer your brother. He's not even a person. _He's my mindless_ _slave."_

Lucas's calm composure finally cracked. Jerking upright, Lucas lunged for the surprised Magypsy, murderous fury dancing in his eyes. Raw PSI erratically coursed through clenched fingers, spitting against his face with angry tears.

Ninten's fingers frantically scrabbled for purchase on his metal restraints. "Lucas, no!"

Instantly, the Masked Man reacted, delivering a swift rabbit punch to his brother's temple. First surprise, then hurt flickered through Lucas's bright blue irises before they dulled, dissolving into a lifeless gray. Strong arms hooked his limp body by the waist, snagging him into his captor's waiting hands, and cracking his blood-stained knuckles with a nonchalant expression, the Masked Man slung his unconscious prize over his shoulder.

Taken aback by the sudden outburst of fury, Fassad stepped back, looking lost for words. He eyed the fallen form with an offended expression, then shrugged, peeling another luxury banana.

"YOU SICKO!" Ninten shrieked, madly turning and twisting in his grip. "DAMN YOU! You...You slimy, mindfuc-"

Irritated, Fassad snapped his fingers. "Eve, activate Eight Melodies."

A magical lullaby lulled his ears. Ninten struggled, trying to stay awake, but it was a losing battle; in seconds, his eyes had flickered shut of their own accord. With a last twitch, Ninten's head limply dropped against his chest.

"Ugh. Disgusting. I simply can't _stand_ sore losers. I've lost my appetite." Fassad stamped the rotting banana peel underneath his heel, then waved Eve off. "Take the scrawny brat away. And call the limo; our work here is done."

Thankfully, the robot caught his drift. She lifted off, protectively cradling her treasure to her chest.

The Masked Man said nothing.

Whirling around, Fassad turned to his subordinate with a bark. "Well? What are _you_ looking at?!"

The Masked Man looked up.

"You look stupid with that dumb expression on your face!" Fassad screeched, flying into a fury, then promptly boxed his ears. "Speak! I command you!"

The Masked Man lowered his head. "I was searching the skies."

A slap. "Idiot! What for?"

"For intruders."

All anger vanished in an instance, and Fassad affectionately patted him on the head. "Oh darling~ Why didn't you say so? It's about time you made yourself useful!" Fassad studied his dirty fingers in distaste, and spoke to himself, "I need a manicure. My nails look disgusting."

With a sigh of displeasure, Fassad turned around. However, upon eyeing his recent catch, his expression quickly brightened up in approval. Black, beady eyes glittering in greed, the Magypsy snapped his fingers. "The Needle Puller. Hand him over."

Obeying his master's wishes, the Masked Man gave a curt nod, extending his arms, but as he shifted, the unconscious boy's face tilted towards his.

_I love you, Claus._

Transfixed by the boy's face, he froze. Raw instinct told him to curl up his elbows, and the Masked Man did, tightly hugging the fragile body against his own. The gesture felt surprisingly natural in his hands.

Fassad frowned, impatiently snapping his fingers. "I _said, _give him to me."

Silently correcting the appropriate call and response for future reference, the Masked Man complied.

The Magypsy handled the body with undisguised eagerness. In a childish curiosity, Fassad stroked the boy's golden locks with a burly hand. They felt soft and gentle, wilting under his calloused touch like the petals of dead sunflower. A stubby finger traced the youthful, porcelain face with dirty, mud-caked nails. Fassad marveled over the unshed tears leaking from the corners of those half-lidded eyes.

Beautiful.

A happy smile beamed upon Fassad's ancient face.

"I can't wait to break you too."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

**Sixty. Fifty-nine. Fifty-eight.**

They tried everything.

Ness wriggled his shoulders, trying to pull his arms free. Flitting around the PSI-proof explosive, Buzz Buzz abused his telekinesis, frantically pulling on the restraints. They didn't budge an inch.

The lock was permanent.

**Thirty. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight.**

The time traveler pounded the dirt in frustration. "DAMN IT!"

Ness slumped over, watching his life tick before his eyes. "It's okay, Buzz Buzz. Go help the others. They need you more."

"It wasn't supposed to end like this!" Buzz Buzz helplessly tugged on his bonds, but to no avail. Giygas had made his craft well; there were no weak kinks he could attack, no old parts he could take advantage of. "I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAVE _ALL OF YOU_!"

Violet eyes blinked, looking strangely overbright in the dancing flames. "Buzz Buzz, when you return to Onett...can you tell my mom not to worry?"

His breath hitched in his throat. "What are you talking about?"

The words clumsily tumbled out of the boy's mouth, insistent and rapid. "You gotta t-tell her, okay? Tell her that I'm sorry for everything. Even for teasing my little sister. I hid her anime stash in my closet once. It was supposed to be a prank. A-And I didn't mean to make her cry-"

"YOU CAN'T GIVE UP ALREADY!"

Silent tears leaked out of his eyes. "An' I want to apologize to my dad. For getting mad at him when he didn't deserve it-"

"NESS! NO!"

**Ten. **

**Nine. **

**Eight.**

Out of options, Buzz Buzz stared down at him. Even now, Ness cracked a weak grin despite the fear in his eyes. "Huh. I failed to save everyone. Well, at least I was able to save you."

Buzz Buzz froze.

_At least I was able to save you._

Saving.

That had been his entire mission, hadn't it? Buzz Buzz had gone back in time to save his friends.

Save the past. Save the future.

Buzz Buzz gripped his temples. Last time, he had gone back with the help of his friends.

But this time, his friends needed him.

He had to do it _for them._

**Seven.**

**Six.**

Ness had closed his eyes.

He must have been scared.

He _had_ to have been scared.

Buzz Buzz wanted so badly to comfort him, to say something to alleviate his fear, but time was money, and time was slipping.

**Five. **

**Four.**

He desperately gathered all he had, pooling together what meager PSI he had left.

Every iota of power, every second of strength mattered.

**Three.**

**Two.**

_Tick, tock..._

_TURN BACK THE CLOCK!_

**One.**

The detonator exploded.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**WHY AM I PREMED IF I WRITE ANGST SO MUCH MY GOD I'D BE A TERRIBLE DOCTOR**

**Shimo no ko:** Thanks! And heh, you're _darn_ right. Chapter 30 starts with fluff and ends with...no fluff. :c I'm sorry. And about Buzz Buzz...we'll probably find out more about him later...maybe. Who knows? ;D

**FalconerET:** Yeah. That 30 chapters build up finally paid off. XD I've been hinting at it for so long that I hoped it might also throw people off. My god, I love writing this fic! Anything seems possible to the reader, and it's hard to tell how things will resolve until the very end. A story wouldn't be fun without a couple of curve balls ;) And thanks for your patience. :) It really means a lot to me in such a terrible time hahaha

**Guest:** I KNOW ACK I'm sorry I'm terrible

**Plushiepaw:** Hi Plushie! Ahaha oh stahp it. You flatter me. XD

So...that happened. Haha. Ha. *Sweats furiously* ᴵ'ᵐ ˢᵒ ˢᵒʳʳʸ

But yeah, aside from _that _scene, I'm really glad that you liked the flashback; I absolutely _loved_ writing them. It was more or less a compilation of short scenes over the past three months; I even had a passage about Boney, but I cut it out because it didn't add anything new to the table. But hey, fluff all the way! :D And angst. But pshaaaw, who cares about the angst, right? *Sweats even more furiously* GOTTA DASH SEE YOU HOMIE

**Super ShadowSonic:** You've caught it~ The "Ursula" like impression was intended. ;) Ursula is based off of a famous crossdresser in the 1900s, and I thought it would be a fun match for Fassad. We never really get to see his Magypsy-like side in Mother 3, and I wanted to characterize him in my own way. His dialogue is such a thrill to write! But yeah no more stalling; we finally have some action XD

**Connor the Speling Pro:** For the first time since you've reviewed...I don't know how to respond. XD Good job, Connor. Jk, but in all honesty, I feel like answering any of your points is basically a spoiler of the chapter. Ayyyy you're damn right; description banks sound so useful. I feel like I repeat the same words over again lol. And no worries! I had my own suspicions for the mediocre dialogue between Ninten and Ness; I thought it was just me. I'm secretly glad that you and PSIBoy caught it. It confirmed that I wasn't crazy lmao

**Random Reviewer:** AccK I'm sorry! DX Here's a tissue! I mean, in case you need it. _If_ you need it. *Sweats furiously*

**PSIBoy:** Yeah I just went all out on that cliffhanger. My bad. :x But duuuuude,don't worry! I like your critique! :) Often times, I look over criticism, then see if it matches my initial feelings about the chapter. If it does, it forces me to not be lazy and make an effort to characterize people lol. My chapters get really long, and unfortunately, I tend to be a hasty person, so it takes me effort to sit my butt down and devote time to write everything out. And about your query on villains: I cringed at my first rendition of them, and updated old chapters to get a better grasp of their personalities. Future chapters will expand on their various degrees of...madness.

Damn it, you're too shrewd. XD Jk, but initially, I had a paragraph devoted to Fassad's motives in Chapter 30. But with the pace of action, I cut it out; it fits better here. Hopefully, the passage should add depth to his character :) And ah, filler...my worst enemy. I have a bad habit of milking out feelings. ;_; Last chapter, this chapter, and the next chapter should hopefully have enough action to balance it out. AND ANGST QUOTA?! You don't need no quota for dem angst, boi. ;D FREE ANGST FOR EVERYBODY~

**DerpyBurp:** OH GOD I'm so sorry gah DX Forgive this terrible author, dear reader

**JKoopa:** Yeah; trust me, the Magypsies aren't _this _creepy in game. XD That's just my rendition haha. Yup, all hell just broke loose. Oh dear. And hey, hello from the West Coast. ;)

**DarkFoxKit:** That's okay! Life can get busy, and I totes understand if you don't have the time to review! I gotchu, gurl. ;) And Claus ;_; Poor baby. I'm terrible ahhhh But hey, at least things can't possibly get any worse than this! Ha. Haha. *Does a nervous jig*

**C. S Alvarez:** Thank you ^_^ Writing the flashbacks was one of my favorites parts of the entire story. Fluffy fluff is best fluff~

**[INSERT APPROPRIATE DISCLAIMER HERE]**


	32. I'm Getting Serious

_"Your parents too?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"You know, I didn't give them much thought until-"_

_"They're gone."_

_"The Dark Dragon took them away..."_

_Ana scratched at the rugged brick wall. "How are Minnie and Mimmie holding up?"_

_"I don't know. I mean, they've been crying a lot after mom and dad went missing. And...I haven't...I haven't cried yet. I haven't got the time. Our parents went poof, then we had Lucas's funeral, and Claus-" Ninten gripped his hair. "Ness wants to leave."_

_"You could ask him to stay."_

_"I can't. He thinks that our parents are alive. No one knows what the Dark Dragon did to them...but I think that they fizzled out of existence." Ninten buried his face into his hands. "I think he still feels guilty about what happened to Claus. He asked me to look after his little sister while he's gone. Tracy's going to kill me."_

_Ana lowered her head. "Paula's been thinking the same. She's been stubborn about finding our parents. I'm afraid that she'll leave too."_

_Ninten shot her a panicked look. "If they go, are you...?"_

_"I'm staying," Ana said softly. "If your Uncle's __really behind this, I have a feeling that you could use an extra hand."_

_His throat clogged up._

_Soft arms wrapped around him, warm and comforting in the cold winter chill. __"It's okay to cry," she whispered, rubbing his back. "I won't judge."_

_He let the tears spill._

* * *

Butterflies flew in his stomach.

Silver bells tinkled, tickling his ears with warmth. Soft lilies fluttered in the wind, kissing his face.

His best man shuffled beside him, shyly re-adjusting his glasses. Lambda. It was an amusing thought, that of all times, he had reverted back to his meek, bespectacled self.

The war against Giygas had changed them. They were no longer innocent boys, playing around in the suburban districts, but _young men,_ young men hardened by the experience of countless battles.

But for once, BuzzBuzz complied, dropping his own facade for this fleeting moment.

No more missions. No more code names.

Just a normal groom on his wedding day.

Lloyd gulped. "Are...are you ready?"

Ninten swallowed hard, unable to look his best man in the eye. Brown eyes flickered to the faces in the front row of the chapel for comfort.

If his shining violet eyes weren't any indication, Ness was _beaming,_ hooting it up like the world's biggest idiot. Classy. Claus smirked widely, cheeks already half-flushed from alcohol. His arm draped around another set of shoulders, and his brother looked up, blinking his clear, blue eyes. A shy, yet happy smile brightened Lucas's features, melting away any anxiety the future groom felt.

Ninten turned his head away.

The double doors creaked open.

Struggling not to break his composure, Teddy marched in, shakily extending a hand to the person outside. Pale, delicate fingers wrapped around his scarred palm, and the bride softly stepped forward. Glittering, glass heels touched upon the royal, red carpet.

Ninten's throat closed up.

Standing to a halt in front of them, Teddy clumsily fumbled for something inside his dirty bullet-proof jacket. Flipping to the page he had memorized for days in advance, the buff man clutched the Bible, almost dropping it with madly trembling fingers. His voice cracked. "Do...D-Do you...D-D-Do you-"

"Thank you, Teddy," the mysterious bride said kindly, placing a consoling hand on the struggling man's shoulder. "You were the best pops anyone could ever ask for."

"She's right," Ninten chimed. "Number One Dad forever."

Emitting a noise from the back of his throat, Teddy closed his mouth, then numbly stared at them. Unable to speak, he drew out his handkerchief, then loudly blew into it. "Oh...O-Oh, nevermind. Kiss the damn b-bride..."

Ninten lifted the white veil.

Kind blue eyes stared up into his.

She was just as beautiful as the day he fell for her.

Suddenly nervous, Ninten swallowed hard. "Some place for a wedding, huh?"

Ana slowly glanced around. Her eyes roamed over the empty seats, the broken-down chapel, the tattered, frayed carpet. Wordlessly, she blinked up into his eyes. "It's perfect," she whispered, her soft fingers tickling his neck.

They both knew what the other wanted.

Without another second, Ninten leaned over.

A happy, mystical energy burst in contact, tickling his tingling spine. PSI danced along his skin, and Ninten shivered. Warmth infused his own cheeks with a faint pink, and Ana smiled, her cheeks glowing a pretty blush.

Then Teddy lost it. Burying his head into his hands, he noisily bawled into his handkerchief.

Unabashed, Lloyd patted him on the back. "There, there, Teddy, it's, umm...it's okay. Don't cry so-"

"N-No, it's not! M-My precious b-babies, about to be _married-_" Shoulders shaking, the man sobbed louder. "A-And good old Buzz Buzz, about to l-leave-"

Blinking back tears, Lloyd bit his lip. "Yeah, but-"

"No sappy ending! No happily ever after! Can't ya see? He aint comin' back no m-more!"

"Control yourself, Teddy," Ninten groaned, even though he was blinking rather rapidly himself. "If you can blast ten drones apart in one sitting, then you can handle a simple farewell-"

Ana stopped him, placing a hand on his cheek. "It's your last day," she said gently. "Let him cry."

Something beeped.

Lloyd glanced at his watch. "It's almost time," he said softly.

For the first time in ten years, Ana's hard confidence wavered. Uncertainty dawned in her blue eyes. "Remember me...?" she whispered.

Throat clogged, Ninten nodded.

Warm arms slid over his collarbone, tugging him close, and he shivered at the intimate touch. Something smooth slid over his ring finger, but before he could look down, Ana clasped his hand. "Wherever you are, _whenever_ you are, I will always love you."

He cracked a small smile. "You're beautiful."

Ana slowly pulled away. Her eyes were a pair of stars. "Stay safe," she said quietly. Delicate fingers glowed; PSI dissolved into his skin in pulsing waves.

Wiping his eyes, Ninten composed himself with a deep breath. When he re-opened his eyes, the Leader of the Resistance was back. "Lambda, report energy input-"

"Stable. Wormhole locked. Departure in five minutes."

"Theta-"

"I gots it, boss." Despite his tears, Teddy cracked a smirk, then ruffled his hair into messy bangs. "Look at wee BuzzBuzz, trying to be a man-"

_"Theta."_

"Your equipment." Teddy tossed the belt into the air, and Ninten caught it in a swipe. "Wings, Backup psionic jetpack, Electronic log book, firepower-"

"Who the hell put in firepower?" Ninten grunted, trying to shake the pistols out. "And wings? Come on, I have PSI-"

"With due respect, your life force hangs upon PSI," Lloyd said firmly, pushing his equipment over. "Your PSI will be the only thing anchoring you in the past. You're our last hope. Take my weaponry, Ninten."

"And dun' even think about saying no. We aint lettin you leave without it," Teddy growled aggressively, lunging over to slam the helmet over his head.

Ninten grimaced as his ears rang from impact. He adjusted the straps. "I suppose I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You're going back _ten_ years into the past," Lloyd spoke, typing a command into a machine, which beeped and whirred in response. "It'd be stupid not to prepare otherwise."

"Oh, joy," Ninten grumbled. "Back to me as a conniving ball of optimism. My teenage self is going to be a _pain-"_

"Time isn't fixed."

"Thanks, Ana. I needed that." Ninten sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "...It's just, me as a teen. _Again."_ He cringed. "Dark times are upon us."

"None of us were perfect in high school. Deal with it," Lloyd said bluntly.

Ninten clapped his hands once. _"Preach._ Okay, I'll stop whining." He saluted. "Well, _adios, _I'm out-"

Tiny feet slapped into the abandoned chapel with a sharp cry.

"Waaait!"

Ninten whirled around. Realization dawned on his features. "What the hell-"

Tracy panted, catching her breath. "Stop, Ninten-!"

Ninten threw a look at her, then at his guilty comrades. "Wasn't this was supposed to be a _secret_ ceremony? You know, _secret,_ as in _nobody else in the resistance should know?_"

"I eavesdropped," Tracy said flatly, ignoring the accusatory tone in his words. She flipped her hair. "Besides, you owe me."

Ninten sighed, ruffling his own hair. Despite his nonchalance, he knew better than to piss her off; Tracy was one hell of a sniper. Literally. "I suppose I can't argue with that. You _did_ save my sisters from an OP Oscars Statue. Fine, you have five seconds. Shoot."

"I want you to save my brother."

Ninten groaned, waving his arms into the air. "What do you think I'm _trying_ to do? Go on a vaca?"

"Stop being sarcastic!" Tracy snapped, placing her hands on her hips. Ninten winced as her glare burned holes into his face. "Our parents disappeared, and you let him go, even though he was your _friend_. I waited every day for ten years, Ninten. And he never came back, thanks to you."

"Ouch."

"Look..." Tracy drew a deep, shaky breath. "I didn't mean to pull the guilt-trip card, but I don't want to live alone again. Not like this." Moisture blazed in her eyes. "You have to save him. Please, Ninten."

"Yes, because I'm totally gonna make the same mistake twice." With a frustrated noise, Ninten rubbed the back of his neck. "Have some faith in me, Trace-"

"One, don't call me _Trace_," Tracy said flatly. "And two, you have a big ego."

Ana's lips twitched into a smile. "She's got a point there, dear."

Ninten groaned. "Anaaaaa..."

She giggled, bringing him close. "But you do have a heart of gold~"

Ninten's cheeks colored. He buried his face into his hands. "God, Anne, not in front of _everyone..."_

Tracy smirked, flicking his neckerchief. "We love you, and you know it."

A foghorn sounded in the distance; Teddy had blown his nose again.

With a grumble, Ninten stepped onto the platform. "Damn you all. I can't _wait_ to leave."

They all cracked a grin; his friends had gotten accustomed to his abrasive attitude over the years - it was his way of trying not to make them worried - but the trepidation of what awaited quelled any outright laughter.

"The wormhole will open up in the next sixty seconds," Lloyd reiterated. "Ana's PSI should fuel your spell. When you arrive, the Absolutely Safe Capsule should protect you from impact."

"Are you sure it won't lock me in for...I don't know...all eternity?"

Lloyd's ears turned pink. "It was an accident," he mumbled. "We fixed the door."

Feeling a twang of guilt, Ninten patted his back. "Sorry."

"It's okay. 'Sides, you can blast your way out from the inside. The Absolutely Safe Capsule is only invincible from exterior impact." Lloyd chewed the bottom of his lip in concern. "Remember, focus on your destination, else you risk being dissolved into the time stream. This is a long-term time travel, so we're going to help you open the wormhole, but it's up to _you_ to figure out when to land."

Ninten grimaced. "Fun."

Lloyd hesitated over the controls. "Good luck, Ninten."

"Love you too, Lloyd. No homo." Ninten sent him a grin and a half-salute, then walked into the Absolutely Safe Capsule. With practiced ease, he strapped himself in, just as he had practiced a hundred simulations ago.

**Launching in 10 seconds...**

Ten seconds to spare.

So Ninten thought.

He thought of Ness, missing and lost. He thought of Lucas, lifeless and limp. He thought of Claus, of his distraught face at his brother's death.

He thought of those he had to leave behind.

He thought of Ana. Of her lips on his.

How happy she looked.

How much he loved her.

With a content sigh, he vanished.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_"Buzz Buzz, you were about to be blasted into oblivion. I couldn't just stand and watch."_

The voice snapped him out of his reverie. Barrel-rolling behind the wooden wreckage of a home, BuzzBuzz peered over, opting for a side view.

A faint flush lingered on his cheeks from the spurt of adrenaline. Boyish eyes laughed, bright and strong.

Ness was very much alive.

And BuzzBuzz intended to keep it that way.

"Ninety-five seconds," BuzzBuzz muttered, snapping the pistol at hand. He checked his watch. "Aaaaand, we wait."

Timing was everything.

From far off, he heard himself talk. "Irrelevant. I technically don't exist, remember? You shouldn't have-"

The time traveler waited in the shadows, impassively watching the events unfold a second time. A terrible groan. A screech of metal. The Starman Deluxe wrapped Ness back into its death hold. BuzzBuzz heard it droning fifteen-second spiel (the bastard), and then his own angry voice rising in retort.

BuzzBuzz cringed. He had panicked in a hostage situation: the number one mistake drilled out of rookies in training.

It had almost cost him dearly.

From the back, the Starman shifted, clumping itself onto Ness's shoulders, and then-

_There!_

The wires.

"You lose, BuzzBuzz."

Then started the dreaded countdown.

**Sixty seconds.**

BuzzBuzz swallowed hard. He was no professional when it came to anything tech-savvy, and most certainly not an expert on a Starman Deluxe, but ten years growing up with Lloyd in the warzone had taught him a thing or two about defusing bombs.

Ninety-nine percent of bombs were simplistic devices. Cutting the wires to the battery source deactivated the bomb.

Of course, there was always that one percent that the bomb carried more than one energy source, but it was a risk BuzzBuzz was willing to take. Giygas would be more interested in the sentient makings of his creation, not on the complexities of its pretty bomb selection.

Frantic yelling rang in his ears.

Cursing, BuzzBuzz ducked as his past counterpart flew past in blind panic.

"Idiot," he swore, slamming on his helmet. Flicking on a switch, his vision zoomed in on the camouflaged wires. One of them, no doubt, led to the battery. Without second thought, BuzzBuzz went straight to work, tracing them with his eyes.

Two wires on the left caught his attention; they snaked into a noticeable bulge in the pack of metal.

"YOU CAN'T GIVE UP ALREADY!"

"An' I want to apologize to my dad. For getting mad at him when he didn't deserve it-"

"NESS! NO!"

Ugh. His own level of unprofessionalism was simply astounding. Had he sounded so panicked? No wonder Ness had freaked out.

It was enough to make anyone freak out.

**Ten seconds.**

Shaking his head, BuzzBuzz swore, lowering his pistol to the ground.

Two wires. One of them undoubtedly led to the battery source. The other...he didn't know, didn't care. The wrong wire could trigger the magnet and short-circuit the bomb.

What mattered was pegging the right one.

Eenie, meenie, miney...

_The one on the left_, he finally decided, flicking up his stun gun to a low _cut _setting. _Its location to the head makes it a highly probable candidate._

**Five seconds.**

With deadly accuracy, BuzzBuzz notched his pistol. He set the crosshairs on his target.

_Come on, self. Hurry it up, you're killing me here-_

The unearthly wail of a wormhole swallowed his ears. Without wasting a second, BuzzBuzz fired. With a bright flash and a _screeeeeee_, the shot blurred through the air-

And cleanly snipped the wire into two.

**One second.**

BuzzBuzz held his breath, not daring to believe.

The detonator went off.

Almost in slow motion, BuzzBuzz watched in horror as magical flames exploded, wrapping around Ness's limbs in twin snakes of fire. Dirt erupted into rippling waves from the point of impact, blasting a crater five feet wide.

Silence.

Dropping onto his knees, BuzzBuzz stared dumbly into the cloud of dust. "Ness...?"

Thick smoke billowed into his nostrils, whispering with the smell of burnt charcoal.

A strangled croak ripped out of his throat. BuzzBuzz squeezed his eyes, resisting the urge to choke as he buried his face in his hands.

He had a second chance. He _had_ a second chance! Why didn't it work?! Why couldn't he-

With an anguished scream, BuzzBuzz slammed his fists onto the ground. "No. No, _no-"_

Then from the deepest recesses of his ears, he heard a faint sneeze.

BuzzBuzz froze, snapping his head up in shock.

From the blastzone, Ness coughed, blinking the dust from his eyes. The boy looked just as stunned as he did. Slowly, Ness lifted a shaking hand and tapped his own arm. A bright holographic-blue of a PSI shield flickered into sight.

"I guess you did save me," Ness said softly.

Unable to believe his eyes, BuzzBuzz started shaking.

"Hey," Ness asked, frowning in concern. "...are you _crying__?"_

"A little." Blinking rather rapidly, BuzzBuzz wiped his eyes. Overcome by a sudden wave of nausea, the time traveler choked, feebly spiraling into the ground.

"BuzzBuzz!"

A worried face swam in his vision. BuzzBuzz coughed, and Ness gingerly picked him up in his palms. His hands began to glow green with PSI.

"Here, I can-"

BuzzBuzz swatted him off. "Save it," he rasped. "There's nothing you can do. My time's up."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I meant."

"I thought you had more time!" Ness demanded. His pupils dilated. "I'm not stupid, BuzzBuzz! What did you do?!"

"Something I don't regret."

Ness stared at the dying time traveler in his hands.

"Well. I just screwed up time-space. Your world's even more unstable now." BuzzBuzz wheezed. "Sorry, kid."

"You went back to save my life." Ness's eyes watered. "Didn't you?"

BuzzBuzz snorted feebly. "Don't delude yourself. I haven't gotten _that_ soft."

Ness said nothing, tugging the brim of his cap over his eyes.

BuzzBuzz laughed. His small silhouette flickered in a bright glow. Pixels materialized, eating up flakes of skin. Ghostly limbs extended, branching out into holographic space. Weather-beaten palms enlongated into thin, paper-like fingers, and towering before Ness's eyes stood a chillingly familiar figure.

Lost for words, Ness dumbly looked up into his friend's face.

The figure was taller than him. He must have hit another growth spurt over the decade.

A lot must had changed in ten years, hadn't it?

"You're..."

"Amazing. And you haven't changed a bit. As stupidly bold as ever." Twenty-three-year-old Ninten laughed, shaking his head. Casually looping his hands into his pockets, the figure shot him a wry smirk. "After all the trouble I went to hide my identity. You seriously need to take better care of yourself."

Balling his fists, Ness blinked back tears. "And you're still a major jerkface. Why didn't you tell me after all this time?"

"No need to." Ninten grin widened, his lips curving in a lopsided angle. "Even when everything went to shit, you've always known what to do. Knowing who I was wasn't going to change that. I _wanted_ to act like an uncaring dick so you four wouldn't worry about me...But I guess I tried too hard, didn't I?"

Ness coughed, wiping his eyes. "I could've saved you..."

"Could've, would've, should've. I'm still alive in your timeline, remember?" Ninten frowned, then punched his shoulder hard. "Quit crying. It's seriously ruining my tough-man reputation."

"It's hard not to."

"Don't worry about the future. Don't worry about the past. You live in the present. So go and make your mark, idiot." Ninten rolled his eyes. "You're starting to look like Teddy at my wedding. My god, did that man burst his waterworks."

"You're _married?"_

"Oh, yeah. On the day that I left. Teddy bawled over my shirt. Lloyd too. Ana was the sane man 'round. She always was. Had been. Kissed me sweetly on the lips then told me to take my ring along. Said to think of her when I needed strength."

A faint smile. "So you two really did get hitched after all."

"What can I say? The end of the world really makes you realize how precious your loved ones are."

Hesitating, Ness swallowed hard. "You heard the Starman Deluxe. It's too late. I can't help anyone-"

"Shut up, idiot. What do you think you're doing now?"

Ness gave a timid shrug.

Ninten gave a bark of laughter then shook his head. "Real heroes don't die before the adventure ends. I was never meant to be the real hero of this story, Ness. I was never meant to be a hero, period. You are, all right." Kneeling down, Ninten slid off his engagement ring. "Heh...I guess I won't need this anymore. Here-"

Ness backed away. "Dude, I can't take that-"

"What are you talking about? I'm still keeping the ring, loser." Rolling his eyes, Ninten popped the smooth gem from the ornate ring. "This is the Sound Stone. In dire need of courage, press it against your ear," he said rapidly. "I don't have time to explain...but you'll hear you what you _need_ to hear. It's all Magic and stuff, so don't worry about it disappearing with me. Now, go and save my scrawny ass."

"But-"

BuzzBuzz snapped his fingers. "Damn, that's right. I left the last chocolate pudding in the fridge. Knew I'd forgotten something..."

"Wait, Ninten-!"

With a breathy sigh, the time traveler opened his arms, relaxed and free. A peaceful expression flickered across his face. "You're a hero, all right," BuzzBuzz whispered approvingly, closing his eyes. "I always did uphold you to that standard."

He parted his lips and exhaled.

One by one, magical pixels dissolved into the wind, tickling the air with the warmth of a thousand butterflies. Shivery-soft wings escaped from Ness's outstretched fingers, soaring high with the hopes of his whispered words.

BuzzBuzz the Time Traveler was no more.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

He had no name.

He existed to serve his Master.

Brushing aside a swinging branch, the Masked Man paused, his gaze hovering over the blindfolded body in his master's arms. It had been an easy matter to knock out the intended target with a well-aimed blow to the temple.

The blond had crumpled over without a single sound.

The sudden thought twisted his stomach, but the Masked Man shook it off, silently dragging himself into the intended clearing.

Master Fassad was munching away on a banana. Upon hearing his wordless approach, he rubbed his hands, tossing the discarded peel onto the ground.

"Stop. We wait here."

The Commander said nothing, awaiting his next command with dull eyes.

A loud roar hit their ears. Frantic and wild, the wind panicked, picking up its pace; leaves streamed away from trees in a streak of green. With a puff of dust, a flying contraption landed at their feet. The chauffeur popped his head out of the window. "Master Fassad-"

"Shut up and open the door!" his master snapped, tapping his boot. "My legs feel _tired."_

The chauffeur bowed. "Right this way, sir," he said, tugging the door handle with transparent arms. The limo responded to the holographic touch, automatically swinging open with a click.

"Dearie, eyes up _here_." Master Fassad sharply clucked his tongue, beckoning him over with a finger, and the Masked Man obeyed.

Master Fassad dumped the limp body onto the ground. "Pick him up," he sniffed in disgust. "My arms ache."

"Yes, sir."

"If the brat wakes up, knock him out. I don't care how it's done, just do it."

"Yes, sir."

His master narrowed his eyes. "And make me a piña colada. Or something refreshing. A glass of water will do, sweet."

"Yes, sir."

Grumbling under his breath, Master Fassad marched into the limo.

Master Fassad wanted this boy alive. Master Fassad wanted his property in top condition.

Taking that as a cue of dismissal, the Masked Man studied the boy's face for a reaction. When he received none, he scanned the blond for life-threatening injuries.

Bruises. Lacerations.

Nothing fatal.

Quietly, he cradled the boy upright.

With an unsteady wheeze, the boy trembled in his arms, and filled with an inexplicable urge, the Masked Man curled his hands around the surprisingly feather-light body - one around his shoulders, the other under the knees - then gently lifted up the boy like a precious doll. Without skipping a beat, he took a step into the luxurious, velvet-covered interior of the limo.

The door slammed shut behind him.

**"Please stay seated during takeoff."**

With another hum of the engine, the limo blasted off into the sky. At the sudden lurch of speed, the Masked Man stumbled, almost dropping his load, but managed to correct his balance with a steady foot. Lifting his head, he studied the bar with emotionless eyes.

Master Fassad wanted a drink. Master Fassad wanted him to carry the boy.

Efficiency dictated that he set the body down.

Deciding on the quickest course of action, he loosened his grip-

_"Claus...Your hands are so cold..."_

The Masked Man blinked. He lifted the bloodied fingers level to his face, examining them with an unfathomable expression.

_"You must have been so lonely..."_

His limbs locked into place. Pale knuckles dug into the striped shirt.

He couldn't drop the boy.

A high-pitched keen erupted from his throat. As if of their own accord, blood-caked fingers shifted, awkwardly palming through the boy's soft hair. The blood on his hands stained the blond bangs a dusty crimson. "Mmmrrryuuu..."

"Dear? What's taking you so-" Catching the gesture, Master Fassad scowled, snapping his cellphone shut. "He can't hear you, sugar."

Various facial muscles twitching in response, the Masked Man lowered his head. A strange look passed through his face. "Ryyuuuuu...ka?"

Master Fassad angrily stomped over, slapping his hand away. "I said that he can't hear you! So stop selling your affections to someone who doesn't deserve it!"

Enraged, the Magypsy ripped the boy away from his arms, hurling him against the floor. The bruised body tumbled onto the tiles with a muffled thump. With numb fingers, the Masked Man reached for the downed body-

"I told you to stay put!"

Rough, burly hands shoved him aside. Unbalanced on his feet, the Masked Man stumbled, then keeled over into the couch cushions with a resounding _whump_ of air.

"Vision obstructed," came the muffled voice.

"Then pick yourself up!" Master Fassad snapped, sounding exasperated. He stomped away. "And fetch me a glass of water!"

The Masked Man blinked. A jar on the top cabinet caught his eye. He rose, passing the body on the floor without a second glance, then grazed the jar with the tips of his fingers.

It was too high. A height adjustment was required.

He tensed his ankles, gliding upwards on tippy-toes. Stiff fingers successfully latched onto the handle.

Mission accomplished.

Lifting the jar from its hold, he poured a glass of water with perfect precision. Eight ounces. One cup.

As he walked around the counter, the limp body snagged around his new boots. An obstacle. Drawing back his foot, the Masked Man nonchalantly kicked the body aside, and made his way to the plush couch. His master sat in an armchair with his legs crossed, staring out the window with an unfathomable expression on his face.

"Water."

Master Fassad eyed the glass in his hand, then quietly took it. "I don't understand," he mumbled, setting the glass down on his lap. "What makes _him_ so special to you? Even after I stole your heart..."

The Masked Man studied him with an impassive face.

"I don't understand," his master repeated, starting to sound slightly hysterical. "I have a heart. I deserved to be loved, don't I?"

The Masked Man cocked his head in a side-tilt. "Incomprehensible command."

"UGH! You're hopeless!" Shoving him aside, Master Fassad slammed the cup down with a deafening crack of glass on wood. "I need a fresh change in scenery," he snapped, pointing at the body on the floor. "Stick with _him -_ it's what _you_ want anyway!"

The Masked Man stood, watching his master march off in a huff.

Master Fassad wanted his property under surveillance.

The Masked Man swiveled around. He had no idea when the boy would wake, if at all. In any case, it would be easier to restrain the body at close quarters.

He will guard his master's property with his life.

Kneeling onto the threaded carpet, he curled around the limp body. The Masked Man blinked, resuming his peaceful vigil with a mechanical hum. The probability of any trouble occurring, he decided, was negligible to the nearest zero.

Seven feet away, Fassad screamed as a fist flew out of nowhere and slammed into his right cheek.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The collision had been purely accidental.

After picking up voices in the forest, Ness had managed to track Lucas down. He had been too late; Ninten was nowhere in sight, and from the sounds of it, had already been detained. Pacing back and forth, Ness had agonized over his next course of action: _to fight, or to follow?_

Eventually, he decided to take his chances with the burly man and his accomplice. If he couldn't find two of his friends, then to hell was he letting Lucas go.

Then the limo took off, blasting out of sight.

That was when Ness decided, _fuck it._

He teleported.

The first thing Ness encountered was a pair of surprised eyes before his _eighty-miles-an-hour fist _Falcon-punched the Magypsy onto his rear.

Score.

Skidding across the plush carpet with a war cry, Ness tore through the limo like a tornado on Taco Tuesday. Frantic fingers overturned the pool table which, to his dismay, failed to reveal a familiar face. Ness struggled over its fallen legs, all the while calling out his friend's name.

_"LUCAS!"_

A masked silhouette by the bar raised its head at his approach. Ness's gaze first dropped to the dried blood on its fingers, then to the unconscious body below it.

His heart twinged.

Lucas's face looked painfully swollen. The bruise on his temple shone a nasty, murky black. Sickening, bright-blue blotches blossomed across his skin like grotesque flowers, robbing it of its peachy hue. A blindfold covered his trembling form, and furious, Ness ripped it aside; unfocused blue eyes came into view, looking terribly glazed.

They hadn't spared him any mercy.

They wanted him to _suffer._

Blood roared in Ness's ears.

Two hands shot out, clutching the vintage jacket collar and yanking the Masked Man down to his level. Dark, stormy shadows lent Ness's face a positively frightening look; violet eyes glowed several shades of burning purple in unrestrained fury.

"_Who did this?!_"

The Masked Man only blinked back with bemused eyes.

"_Move aside,_ or I'll break every bone in your worthless body." Casting him what he hoped was a threatening look, Ness shoved him away. Trying to ignore those dead eyes boring into back, Ness turned around, dropping beside Lucas's prone body.

"Hey. Hey, buddy. Wake up." Panicking, Ness leaned over, shaking him in the side. "Lucas, wake up!"

His fingers tentatively poked the bruise on his temple, and Lucas shuddered weakly in protest. As if scalded, Ness recoiled, studying him in dismay. Even in unconsciousness, Lucas looked far from peaceful. His breathing was terribly unsteady; at random intervals, Lucas wheezed, a heavy, ragged sound that rattled his ribs. Ness gritted his teeth against the tears that threatened to blur his vision. _"_It hurts, I know, but I'll heal you as soon as I get us out, okay? Lemme just_\- nevermind, not there -_Um, then I'm gonna roll you over like - _Shit! Sorry, sorry-_ I screwed up, I knew I shouldn't have left you guys behind-"

_"You."_

The sharp click of stilettos hit his ears. Scrambling backwards, Ness dragged Lucas close, trying to ignore the shaking boy in his arms. Desperate fingers fumbled for the latch, but to his dismay, the car door stayed locked.

"You ruined my pretty face," Fassad hissed, pointing at his cheek. Mascara dripped from his eyes in frightening black rivulets. "Do you know how long it takes to look this gorgeous?"

_Not long enough, _Ness wanted to say, but decided against it.

This man had killed BuzzBuzz. He probably didn't have a single moral fiber in his body.

Calming himself down, the Magypsy demurely lit his cigar. He breathed out. "I thought my Starman finished you off."

Ness clenched his fists into Lucas's arm. "Well, then don't let your drones do the dirty work," he spat.

"At ease, my dear. The time traveler was my target. You happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. No hard feelings, sweetheart~❤" Fassad took a long drag of smoke, eyeing him in renewed interest. His voice tickled Ness's ears with a curious lilt, rich and exotic with an unearthly eloquence. "I'd forgotten that you can teleport. You're a little late to the recruitment party, but I still might have a use for you, sugar~❤"

"I'd never join you."

Fassad crossed his arms in a pout. "Really? It's a good bargain. Good pay. We could work something out."

"Forget about it."

"Oh, don't frown like so. You'll get wrinkles, sweetie!" The Magypsy's voice bubbled into a tiny titter. "Call me, Fassad, dear. And your name...Ness, is it? A plain name for a plain fellow. Well, I'm impressed by your talent. Lookie here, I'll even pretend you didn't slug my precious face if we can make a deal."

In one fluid motion, the Magypsy snapped his fingers. Following Ness's eyes onto the plastic receiver, Fassad coyly twirled his left finger around a phone cord. "Your mother. Your father. Your sister. Your family means everything to you, doesn't it, Ness?"

_How did he...?!_

Ness's fists shook madly at his sides. "Don't drag them into this."

Cupping his palms, the Fassad breathed out. With a soft whisper, the smoke sighed, shifting and solidifying into a silhouette, growing more familiar by the passing second-

Ness's throat turned dry.

From a patch of summer daisies, King thumped his tail with a lazy whine. Giggling, Tracy attacked his belly in a merciless assault, and King rolled his eyes, panting his tongue out in pleasure. His little sister tilted her head up. Upon catching sight of her older brother, blue eyes lit up in pure joy. Tiny feet danced over, and Tracy peered into his face.

_"Nii-chan!"_

Ness scrunched his eyes.

_"Did you go to the game today?"_

Ignore her.

_"We lost...but that's okay, right? You said that everything is gonna be okay."_

She's not real.

_"We had steak for dinner. We waited...but you never called back. Mom misses you a lot. When are you coming home...?"_

Those words sounded eerily familiar. Had Fassad taken them out of his memories?

Out of his memories...

_"Please come home..." _

Ness heard his own voice crack. "Not now. I'm busy."

_"Are you always busy?"_

The words hit him like a curveball to the stomach, and Ness _remembered. _

Replace _Nii-chan_ with _dad_, and those words had been the exact same words he had spoken to his father, four years ago after losing at the Semifinals of the Youth League.

No, not to his father.

To his father's _voicemail._

His dad had never called him back, hadn't he?

Oblivious to his shock, his little sister studied him, carefully poised on her toes. Her face fell. _"You're never home,"_ she said quietly, turning away. _"Even mom's home..."_

His feet moved of their own accord. "Tracy, wait-!"

She vanished into thin air.

The older teen stared after her, feeling his chest heave.

Flicking his eyelids, Fassad breathed in another drag of smoke. "Poor thing," he said softly, tapping his gem-studded rings against Ness's numb arm. Ness didn't register the touch, unable to see, unable to think.

One tap.

Two.

"Don't waste your efforts on a futile endeavor. Your friend is doomed either way. Once he pulls the Seventh Needle, he'll cash in his chips~❤"

Ness spoke. "I don't believe you."

"I don't blame you, sweetheart. I don't either," Fassad mourned, flicking his cigar. Ash dropped from its end, caking the carpet in soot. "Dear, if _I_ had the choice, I'd keep him. I prefer a matching set myself~❤ Besides," he added with another drag of smoke. "Are you going to waste your time for someone you can't save? No, sweetie, you're better off helping someone else...like your parents! We will create a new world from the ashes of the old. We can grant your family amnesty in the shining era of perfection. Maximum insurance. No strings attached. No more homesickness."

A clammy sensation prickled Ness's stomach.

Had everything been for naught?

Fassad nodded sympathetically. "It's been a cruel journey, hasn't it, dear? Thankless, even. Take a break. What good is life without a little rest?" Fassad released his grip on his arm. "All you have to do is say the word."

Oh, how much Ness wanted to say yes. A part of him clamored, squeezing his heart dry for home. He missed his parents so badly that it hurt to breathe. His chest constricted at the memory of his father.

When had been the last time they had played baseball together?

When had been the last time he had even _seen_ his dad?

Dangling lifelessly in his arms, Lucas trembled, his pale bloodless fingers barely brushing against the carpet. Ness's glance flickered to his bruised face in concern, then caught the Magypsy's figure from the side-view mirror. Fassad's intoxicating smile reflected against the glass; black, beetle eyes roiled with greed.

That was when Ness _knew._

Fassad was lying. He would wash his hands, rinse, then repeat.

The only person the Magypsy cared about was himself.

Ness clenched his fists, trying to steady his breathing. Fassad had managed to trick Lucas into his clutches. Judging from the absence of his other two friends, they had also most likely fallen to this man.

He refused to be tricked.

_Ness, i__f something goes wrong in this stupid quest...keep an eye out for Lucas for me._

Ness swallowed hard. He wasn't as smart as Claus, or as thoughtful as Lucas, or even as crafty as Ninten.

But if there was one thing he _did_ have, it was the guts.

Ness took a deep breath. "My family is important…," he said slowly.

Fassad beamed. "Excellent~! I'm glad that you see things my way-"

"But they'd want me to do the right thing."

The Magypsy's face faltered. It propped back into a smile. "I'm afraid I don't understand, dear."

Shoulders shaking, Ness lowered his head. "You're right," he said quietly. " As much as I want to save everyone...I _can't._ I can't bring myself to sacrifice my family. So if turning myself in ensures their safety, I'll take your deal."

Fassad's eyes dilated in surprise before retracting into satisfied slits. "Wonderful! Welcome to the crew. Now, sweetheart, would you be a dear and-"

"J-Just..." Ness choked, holding Lucas tighter. He scrunched his eyes shut. "I want to say g-goodbye..."

A perfect hint of impatience entered Fassad's tone. "Honey, you're asking for too much."

"It's my last request. Please, it can't be too much to ask..."

With an exasperated noise, Fassad waved him off. "Make it quick."

Ness rose to his feet, dragging Lucas up with him. It was an awkward hug with Lucas's arms dangling over his shoulders and with Ness having to balance them both by resting his hands against the window, but the latter paid it no heed. "Hey, b-buddy...," Ness stammered, palms beginning to feel unusually hot and sweaty. "I just want you to know...to kn-know...that you were the bestest friend anyone could've asked for - and...and the view up here is really nice, you can see the clouds from the w-window...a-and I'm sorry you're missing out,_ please don't get mad at me..._"

Smoke drifted up into the air. Fassad narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What are you doing?"

Ness sweated buckets. "...and, um...wow, the moon is all shiny and stuff..."

"Hold it right there!" Fassad barked, marching over. "Just what do you think you're-"

The fire alarm rang. The sprinklers hissed; cold, dirty water sloshed over them, drenching their clothes.

Gasping, Fassad staggered back. "Are you crazy?!"

"Yes," Ness said. "Yes, I am."

Then Ness shoved Lucas out the broken window.

All too late, Fassad realized what had happened. Lucas's body had shielded Ness's arms from view. Behind him, Ness had heated the window with his bare hands. The resulting smoke had set off the fire alarm, and upon contact with cold water, _the hot glass had...!_

Fassad threw back his head and screamed, but his voice was lost in the shrill wail of the fire alarm.

But Ness didn't stick around to enjoy the show. He squeezed himself out of the shattered window and dived into the darkness of the night.

Fassad's screech followed his departure. "After him, love! Don't let him get away!"

Time seemed to slow down.

Jeff had once mentioned the phenomenon to him in physics. _Slow Motion Perception_, he had said. An effect triggered under high stress situations.

His heart hammered in his chest. Free fall blew his cheeks up to comical proportions, and Ness squinted, wincing as the wind dried his eyes. Spotting bright, telltale stripes in the moonlight, Ness angled over, struggling to reach for Lucas's limp arm. On his second try, Ness successfully managed to snag his wrist.

"Gotcha," he muttered, mentally calculating the distance. "Okay, let's do this. PK Tele-"

He gasped when an arm curled around his chest. Eyes watering, Ness coughed, weakly struggling to shove the force away, but the one-arm grip held firm, slowly crushing the air out of his windpipe.

In the corner of his watery eyes, the other arm inched off to the side...

"Oh, no you don't," Ness hissed, tugging Lucas out of reach.

Suddenly, something dark blotted out his vision. A foot slammed to his right, narrowly missing Ness's ribs, and starved for oxygen, Ness pulled in his elbow, then snapped it back in an act of desperation. A satisfying _crack_ rang in his ears, and his assailant let go, releasing his headlock. With an explosive gasp, air re-entered his lungs, and in a sudden bout of clarity, Ness glanced upwards at the Masked Man-

Who had lost his mask.

_I prefer a matching set myself~❤_

No. It was impossible. The wind must be blinding his eyes, because there was no way that those ginger hair and blue eyes belonged to-

"Claus?"

Ignoring his croak, the Masked Man reached over and gripped his wrist.

A thousand bolts of electricity stabbed his veins, and Ness arched his back in agony, scrabbling to keep hold_. _Despite his brainwashed state, Claus seemed to have tapped out his maximum potential overnight. Another surge of agony twisted into his bones, and Ness struggled, finding himself terribly outclassed.

"CLAUS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Ness screamed, air scalding his raw throat. "Are you _trying_ to get us killed?!"

Ignoring him, Claus let go, instead snaking a hand around Lucas's left arm.

With a snarl, Ness yanked on his right. "Like _hell_ you're taking him back!"

They wrestled, locked in an impossible match of wills.

The wind howled. The sky rumbled.

And their hearts plummeted like one.

Beneath them, the river held back its tides in bated breath. Despite the pain throbbing through his nerves, Ness hooked his other arm around Claus's shoulders, gritting a PK Teleport through clenched teeth-

But Claus was taller, Claus was faster, and Ness felt his hair stand as low breathing tickled his bare neck-

"Shield!"

In an ear-shattering screech of sparks, the Masked Man raked his sharp nails across the psychic barrier-

"Claus, stop!" Ness yelled, shakily wrestling back another fist. "I don't know what Fassad's done to you, but we're not your enemy-"

"PK Love."

A blast of hexagons punched Ness square in the chest, wrenching Lucas's limp arm out of his grip. Ness doubled over, wheezing as precious breath escaped his aching lungs.

For a shivering second, Lucas lay suspended in midair, his fingers splayed like the peeking petals of a sunflower-

Rough hands ripped him away, seizing him from the mercy of the cruel elements. With a low whine, the Masked Man buried his head into his striped shirt, protectively wrapping his arms around his brother's chest.

But Ness was in for another surprise.

The air popped and crackled with burning ozone. Shimmering blue sparks hopped across Claus's skin in a mad frenzy, sinking and tearing into the dips of his shoulder blades. Thick shadows pooled into his back,_ twisting and turning and unfurling-_

Darkness blotted out the stars.

Blue eyes blinked down at him, bright and catlike in the gloom.

Ness could only stare at the massive, leathery wings borne from raw psychic energy. Horror engulfed Ness in an icy grip; clearly, the Masked Man had picked up a trick or two from his master.

The Masked Man slowly tilted his face towards the sky. Moonlight touched his features in shadow. In one fluid motion, the Masked Man tensed, then launched off in a roll of thunder.

His baseball reflexes kicked in; in that split second, Ness snapped out of his stupor and lunged forward, snagging the commander by the ankle. The sudden ascent popped his ears. Howling its fury to the high heavens, the wind screamed in his ears, rendering Ness short of air. Hot breaths curled out of his mouth in a continuous wisp of smoke.

Fassad wouldn't be fooled a second time. If they returned to the limo, the Magypsy would never let Lucas slip out of his clutches.

Ness couldn't let that happen.

His grip tightened; there was only one way out: they _had_ to teleport. As terrible as it sounded, Ness would gladly take any chance, even if it meant knocking Claus out cold. Once they'd retreated to safer ground, Ness could figure out how to help him.

As his vision cleared from the jarring impact of flight, Ness flinched, feeling his skin prickle. The Masked Man had locked onto him with an unnervingly silent stare. Without changing his indifferent expression, the taller boy curled his upper lip. A low, bloodcurdling growl erupted from his throat.

Ness sweated profusely. Past experience had spoken volumes about the wrath of a certain overprotective brother; he could almost see the gears turning in Claus's brainwashed mind.

In his mind, Ness was a threat.

And all threats had to be eliminated.

Without warning, the Masked Man _dove. _

Ness screamed as they plummeted earthbound; after all this, there was no way _on god's green earth_ that he was going to ride another rollercoaster in his _life_-

At the last possible minute, the wings snapped open, gracefully streamlining them into a glide. Claus swerved sharply, trying to shake off his unwelcome passenger. As a cold spray of water hit his face, Ness shivered, feeling terror sink into his bones. Ice water seeped into his socks, freezing his toes.

Claus was spiraling towards the river.

Ness's eyes widened. _No!_

Liquid adrenaline roaring in his ears, Ness kicked his shoes against the rapidly-approaching surface. Hot sparks flew around his feet, curling around his ankles in heated friction, and Ness tried to fuel his speed, urging himself to sprint faster.

_Not enough,_ he begged. _Faster!_

His PSI complied. Magic sang through his blood, spiking his veins like a sugar high. The river roared, crashing in their ears as they rapidly approached the bend-

_Now!_

Ness dived forward in a last-ditch effort; in a reckless blur of speed, he skidded past, wrenching Lucas out of frigid fingers. He scrunched his eyes shut, bracing himself for the cold splash-

There was none. Ness cracked his eyes open.

The surface tension held.

A wild laugh escaped from his lips. Hurtling forward with momentum, Ness sprinted, dashing across the water. Shoes skipped, and ripples touched his feet, instilling the glassy, smooth surface with life. Majestic waves crashed at his sides, parting like the sea before the Trident of Poseidon.

Weightless. Suspended.

He was the King of the World.

A shadow slid over the moon, and alarmed, Ness looked up. As emotionless as a cutting board, the Masked Man soared overhead, fixing him with a demonic, crimson-eyed glare.

Ness paled. He recognized that look.

It was the _If-you-kidnap-my-little-brother-I-will-personally-hunt-you-down-and-devour-your-soul-for-breakfast _look.

Ness needed no further incentive to double his speed.

A blur of ginger screamed past; the Masked Man shot after him, honing in on his target. Ness flinched, dodging as a PK Love smashed into the water, then madly swerved again to deter his pursuer. Ness chanced another glance back. Claus was speeding after him - a good sign. Now, if Claus flew _just _a little lower, Ness could latch onto him and-

Pain.

Intense pain streaked across his cheek like a red-hot poker. A burst of hexagons had hit its mark, tossing Ness into the air like a rag doll. Breaking his stride, Ness tripped, crashing under the waves.

Bubbles gurgled from his mouth. His lungs burned like liquid fire. Ness broke the icy surface with a gasp, but the underwater currents bowled him over, dragging him farther downstream. The speed of the raging river was _phenomenal - _a faint of dot of color, then Claus had all but vanished into the midnight sky.

"L-Lucas-"

Water shoved itself down his throat, and Ness blindly hacked, spitting it back out. Flailing his arms, Ness sputtered, slapping feebly at the water before a second wave pushed him under.

A blur of yellow-

With another gasp, Ness re-emerged, hauling a sopping arm over his shoulder. He blindly fished around for his baseball cap before stuffing the drenched article into his bag. Gritty pebbles and sand tickled his feet; Ness tried to drag his shoes to shore, but the bottom of his soles slipped and slid over frozen river rock.

A scaly tail fin peeked out of the waves.

Panicking out of his mind's wits, Ness roughly shook Lucas's limp shoulders.

"I c-can't swi-" A cough. "Lucas! Wake! Up!"

Weakly, Ness slapped his friend's bruised face, but the pathetic blow did nothing to wake him up.

There was only one thing left to do. Screwing up his eyes in both pain and concentration, Ness slowly carved his mind into a sharp point, pulled back, then _stabbed_-

Lucas gasped, rudely dragged out of unconsciousness. Sputtering out ice water, the blond involuntarily choked, turning away from Ness to retch out his aching, sore lungs full of fluid. Still caught in his previously panicked state, confused fingers scrabbled for purchase where there was none, and when Ness clamped a clammy hand around his, Lucas almost sent a fist flying straight into Ness's face.

"Lucas!"

Frozen in stunned shock, Lucas turned to him, breathing heavily. The blond coughed, eyes stinging from cold river spray. "Ness?!"

Unable to talk past this point, Ness squeezed his wrist tighter, panicking under the strength of the waves.

_Drowningdrowningdrowning-_

Blue eyes widened, clearly noticing how dangerously high the waterline was to Ness's neck. "Ness! Keep swi-"

That was when Ness submerged completely.

A roar of water blasted him away. Over his own ragged breaths, Ness vaguely heard Lucas yelling, but whatever thoughts he had dissipated and dissolved, snatched away by the icy currents. Terrified, Ness kicked out in a flurry of bubbles, but it did little to help, and in his numb state, he registered an unwelcome pain creeping up his calves-

His pupils dilated in horror.

_Nonononotnownonotnownotnow-_

Liquid agony seared his ankles. With a strangled gurgle, the swirling currents crushed the breath out of his starving lungs. Giving into the aching demand of his cramping muscles, Ness exhaled; air kissed his lips, trickling into a mass flurry of bubbles flying towards the glistening surface...

_Breathe_

_Need to...to breathe...to brrr _

_freeeeezing_

_ so cold so __coldcoldcold_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

**_m_**

**_o_**

**_m_**

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

**"...Oxygen?"**

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Wet.

Warm. Soft.

Ness was blissfully aware of something kissing him rather passionately on the lips. As any testosterone-raging teen would do in such a situation, he kissed back with equal vigor. Surprisingly, the longer the kiss lasted, the more rejuvenated he felt, almost as if the kiss was restoring air to his starved lungs...

"Ness!"

He tasted fish and salty ocean breeze.

Perhaps he had taken Paula on a date to Summers...yes, that sounded about right... except...

_Why couldn't he remember a single thing?_

"NESS!"

His eyes flew open.

Lucas was urgently staring down at him. Droplets of water dripped off the ends of his blond bangs; beads of moisture trickled down his neck and seeped into his shirt. His face looked rather crimson amidst the shock of gold hair.

Instantly, Ness felt an uncomfortable warmth creep down his neck in a fluster of his own. Sputtering, he sat upright. "You...D-Did I just...?"

Disturbed by the fact that he might have kissed his best friend, Ness closed his mouth, feeling unusually hot and bothered. Catching his flustered question, Lucas himself began to sport a bright red flush. "No!"

"...no?" Ness thought back to the erotic dream. "So I _didn't_ kiss you?"

"Not me..." Lucas pointed. "Him."

"What? Who-" Ness turned over to face a pair of bright puffy lips. Instantly, he scooted back with a screech of horror. "YOU LET HIM _KISS_ ME?!"

"He kissed me too," Lucas muttered, still not meeting his eyes out of sheer embarrassment. "We needed air..."

The merman curiously peered down at him. **"Oxygen?"**

It was too much to handle in one day.

Ness's eyes rolled up in a dead faint.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

A warm glow touched his feet.

His vision crackled in grayscale, as if he were watching an old, black-and-white movie. Above him, the heavens opened up to expose his view of the glittering stars. Static crackled, obscuring his flickering view of the grandiose, gemstone-studded cave.

Ness trudged forward with slow steps. The heavy atmosphere pressed against his shoulders, weighing him down with an overbearing gravity. Something bad had happened, Ness was certain, but he couldn't tell how he knew. The lack of noise unnerved him; it reminded him of the grave silence in a cemetery.

Water dripped in high echoes throughout the enclosure.

_Drip._

The blotches moved. A darkened figure was kneeling on the ground.

Ness squinted just as the form shifted, then realized that there were actually _two._ There was a body of a second fallen figure lying splayed in an ominous pool of dark liquid.

_A shuddering, pained gasp._

Ness couldn't make out any faces from this distance, so he started walking closer. His shoes squelched as he accidentally stepped into the seeping liquid, unpleasantly wetting his socks and shoes, and he winced as the sharp, metallic pang of blood hit his nose.

_Drip. Drip._

That poignant sound of dripping water resounded louder and louder with every step. Flickering his eyes around, Ness managed to find its source: silent, crystalline tears were dripping down from the cheeks of one figure before shattering onto the floor. That same figure - a boy, he realized - tightly gripped his fallen friend in a heart-aching embrace.

_I'm really happy...that you could be here with me before the end..._

Ness came to a halt. With growing dread, his eyes fell, resting upon the face of the fallen figure...

The scene blurred. The floor dropped from underneath his feet. The rocky, pulsating walls shimmered, fading into iridescent glass windows. A mahogany desk sprung into view, and Ness stumbled into an occupied office.

"-ant to discuss your grades."

"I got an eighty on the last test."

"Don't sound too proud."

"I passed!"

"Other people might be satisfied. But my _son_ doesn't get _eighties _and says it's okay. You have so much potential if you put your mind to it, son."

"I'm improving."

"Yes, you are. A huge step up from that seventy-two. But I believe you could do better."

Ninten stiffened in his seat. "Minnie and Mimmie get Cs on their report cards-"

"Your sisters are different. I don't place my future on them." His father sighed. "Listen, son. You are in line to inherit one of Onett's best law firms. Not your sisters. _You._ You must carry on the family legacy. The blood of the Founding Fathers runs through our veins. We were here long before Podunk was called Onett. We are special."

"Hooray for us."

"People look up to us, son. You need to _earn_ the position, or else people will talk. They will think that nepotism is involved. It will ruin the family name."

"Well, what if I _don't_ want to be a lawyer? What if I want to be something else?"

"Then we will adjust your future plans."

"What if I want to be a garbage man?"

"You don't mean that."

"If I told you that garbage was my calling, would you disown me?"

His father frowned. A cold chill suffused the room. "Young man, enough of the sass. This is a serious conversation concerning your future." Concerned, the man leaned over. "Is this about your health?"

"No, it's not-"

"I have scheduled an appointment with the doctor this Friday."

"But I have baseball practice-"

"Until your health improves, cancel your ballroom dancing lessons for the week. In the meantime, we will call in a private math instructor so that you can raise your grades."

"Papa-"

"It's all taken care of, son. Rest and recover. I will be out of town tomorrow. In case you need anything, here's your monthly allowance-"

"WILL YOU JUST LISTEN TO ME FOR ONE SECOND?!"

His father stared at him.

Ninten breathed heavily, shaking in his shoes. "Dad...don't do this to me. You can't just give me money and think that it'll _magically_ fix everything. Because it won't. Please. We need to talk."

The phone rang. With a sigh, the lawyer automatically pressed the button. A light _beep_ erupted from its speakers.

"Yes, Electra?"

The phone's reedy voice assaulted their ears. "You have a client scheduled for three. I will transfer the call."

Without keeping his eyes away from his upset son, the man spoke. "Tell him that I'm booked in a meeting. Two more minutes."

"He won't take no for an answer, sir."

The man paused. Averting his eyes, he rose, hovering a hand over the phone...

Ninten's voice cracked. "Dad, _please_..."

For a shivering second, their eyes met.

Long fingers glided over the sand-grained desk, sliding the wad of bills his way. "Spend it on something nice," his father said quietly before lifting the receiver.

The memory dissolved.

Ninten froze with one hand outstretched. Slowly, he lowered his arm. His shoulders slumped over in defeat.

Ness uncomfortably watched him from afar, afraid to approach.

There was no need. Another figure had materialized into existence. Ninten bristled up and turned around, shooting the new arrival a retort. With a cool blink of his eyes, the tall figure bowed his head. They exchanged a quiet flurry of words.

Ninten fell silent.

Then Ninten stepped forward, burying his head into the other person's chest. Giygas looked surprised; but after a fleeting moment of hesitation, the taller man did the same, dragging his nephew close with a whisper before vanishing in a disoriented flicker of tormented souls.

"I know you're there, Ness."

Ness jumped. A hot flush prickled Ness's cheeks, guilty at being found out.

But Ninten didn't sound mad. Balling his fists into his shirt, Ninten stared afar into the distance.

"I was thinking...there's something that I need to do. Something that only I can fix." Ninten's gaze flickered to his. "I want to save my uncle."

Stranger still, Ness wasn't surprised by the sudden declaration.

"He's unstable, Ness. There's something strange about his mind..._minds..."_ Ninten hesitated. "I'm afraid that I'm going to lose him to insanity. Something, or a lot of somethings are involved."

Feeling numb, Ness could only nod. "How do we go about saving him?"

"No, Ness. I said _I_. Not _we_."

"But-"

"Leave it to me. It's my screwed-up family, not yours," Ninten said quietly, turning away. "Besides, you saw my vision. You have somewhere else to be."

"Ninten, you-"

"Heh." Ninten cracked his trademark vampire grin, sharp and hawkeyed. In his angled features rested the proud, haughty look reminiscent of his uncle's. He shrugged, loping his hands into his pockets. "Let's be honest, Ness. Between you and me...it's more or less _your_ thing, isn't it? Saving people."

"What do you mean that _it's more or less my thing?_" Ness demanded, angrily striding over to knock some sense into him. "Get it out of your thick head! I'm trying to stop you from doing something stupid!"

"'Course you are. That's why you've always been the better man." There was a sad sort of bitterness in Ninten's voice, but it quickly changed into a cheerful playfulness. "Well, I'm a POW now. Guess it has some perks. I could be a spy. Gotta make myself useful somehow. You can't always be the gloryhog-"

"I'm not a gloryhog!"

"Kidding."

"Ninten!"

"Your princess is in another castle." But with a laugh, Ninten only waved his hand. "Well, I'll be waiting for my knight in shining armor to come and _rescue me._ So don't die, okay?"

The dream dissolved.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ness stirred.

His throat burned like a furnace, raw and dry. He sat up, wincing at the sharp pain shooting through his elbows, then massaged the numbness out of his skin. Bright spots of light twinkled in his face, and Ness waited for his vision to settle.

Faded limestone scraped against his shoes. Mighty stalagmites touched the ceiling, sparkling with the luster of a thousand diamonds.

They were in an underground cave.

Massive blood-red rubies glowed in uneven chunks, embedded cozily into the walls. Hesitantly, Ness touched one, resting it against his cold palms. A happy sob of relief escaped from his lips.

Warm.

So, so warm...

PSI raised the hairs on the nape of neck.

Instantly, the happiness fled. Ness stiffened, readying himself for a fight.

Danger.

As if in response, the cave pulsated and thrummed with an unearthly energy, murmuring words of comfort that soothed and relaxed the tense muscles in his back. With a sigh, Ness slackened his fists, feeling its humming magic sink into his sore tendons and work the knots out of his shoulders.

Safe. He was safe.

Ragged breathing hit his ears, and Ness turned around. The cave was empty, save for the lone figure on the other side.

Lucas had long since buried his face into his hands. He had drawn his knees up close to his chest, gripping his temples so tightly that uneven fingernails left indents into his skin; the blotchy bruise, still unhealed, peeked out between his fingers. Water dripped from his blond hair, the only sound to echo throughout the cave.

**Drip.**

**Drip.**

Ness shifted, dislodging a rock in his wake.

Wide-eyed, Lucas jerked his head up at the loud clatter. He had frozen in shock, chest heaving from distress.

**Drip.**

**Drip.**

"Hey," Ness said louder. His voice sounded croaky and hoarse from lack of use. He trailed off, wincing at the still swollen bruises on Lucas's face; for some reason, the Sanctuary hadn't tended to his injuries. A tight feeling constricted Ness's chest. "You should heal your face."

Lucas wiped his wet mouth with a sleeve. He gave no response, shuddering uncomfortably in the chilly ocean air.

His continued disquiet unnerved Ness; the younger twin had always been a quiet boy, but the lack of words Lucas showed now put that former shyness to shame. It was as if Claus's disappearance had robbed him of not only of a brother, but also of a voice.

With a small cough, Lucas shifted over. His voice was barely audible. "How are you feeling?"

Something in Ness's heart broke.

The first words Lucas had spoken were to ask for his wellbeing.

"I'm okay." Ness swallowed hard, remembering the sensation of water sliding down his throat. He shuddered. "I thought I was going to drown," he admitted, unconsciously rubbing his arms. "You saved me..." A pang of guilt shot through his chest; with those bruises, it couldn't have been an easy matter for Lucas to drag his body around to find shelter.

Lucas lifted his head, staring blankly at a nest of glowing rubies. Ness shifted his gaze, studying his best friend in concern. Lucas's eyes, reflecting the dancing flames, looked red and puffy, but aside from that, the blond showed no visible signs of grieving. "It was the least I could do."

Ness tentatively poked the fiery cluster of rubies; warmth suffused his fingers in a spark of PSI. "How are _you_ feeling?"

"Fine."

Disturbed, Ness bit his lip, haunted by an underlying thought. "I figured out a few things...from what Fassad told me. He told me that if you pull the last Needle, you'll die." Ness swallowed hard, drawing courage to continue. "I don't believe him. He's got to be lying...He's lying, isn't he?" When Lucas didn't contradict him, Ness felt his eyes sting. "C-Come on, Lucas...why won't you say a-anything...?"

Lucas said nothing. He was visibly cracking; the composed demeanor he was holding now was just a facade, a testimony to his mental fortitude, but even patience had its limits.

Ness's accusation rang in their ears. "You _knew."_

Lucas didn't avert his gaze, but he wouldn't meet his eyes either. The bruise on his temple shone a grotesque purple in the dim light.

"He's not wrong."

Ness flew to his feet. "You knew, and you didn't tell us," he repeated, sounding betrayed. "Why didn't you tell us?!"

"What was I supposed to do? Let Claus take my place?" Lucas said softly.

"No! I mean-" Torn, Ness closed his mouth. He balled up his fists. "I don't know! I could've...we could've found another way-" Angrily, he bit the words back on his tongue, and promptly changed the subject. "And for the last time, why haven't you healed yourself?!"

Lucas lifted a finger to the bruise on his face, then dropped it.

Ness stared at him. "...Lucas...don't tell me..."

As if willing himself to disappear, Lucas looked vastly uncomfortable, rubbing the bruise on his temple.

A hollow conviction rang in Ness's own ears. "You can't use your powers," Ness said slowly, as if not believing his eyes. "...Can you?"

Lucas shifted uncomfortably. "It's not a big deal-"

"Not a big deal?! Lucas, it's a _huge_ deal! Your PSI is tied to your emotions, so if you can't use your powers-"

"It'll pass."

"_That's_ not what I'm worried about! You don't just _lose_ control of your powers for no reason!" Worried, Ness searched his face. "Lucas, what did Fassad do to you?!"

"Nothi-"

"Bullshit!" Ness gripped Lucas by the shoulders. Anguish roiled off Ness in waves; their skin shivered and tingled at the powerful surge of emotion. "What happened to you?!"

Lucas didn't respond.

His throat closed up in terror. "_Please_, Lucas," Ness begged, voice sounding terribly hoarse. "You're scaring me here-"

"Ness..."

At the barely audible voice, Ness froze, feeling his friend's shoulders tense underneath his fingers. Lucas's voice had always been infused with a quiet magic, gentle and soft...

But it had never before sounded so _weak_.

Clear blue eyes flitted to his face. "Please, let go."

Ness's fingers tightened in response.

Blue eyes softened. "It wasn't his fault. Claus wasn't thinking straight." Lucas cracked a weak smile, straining against his lips. "Fassad only wanted to make his point clear."

Relief fluttered in Ness's heart. "Well, whatever it was, it didn't work-"

"I deserved it."

The entire world crashed around him. Ears ringing, Ness stared at Lucas without seeing, unable to comprehend the meaning behind those terrible words.

_I'm so selfish. I'm a selfish person..._

Lucas faltered, his lips searching for memories he could no longer remember. He clumsily patted Ness in the back, then lifted Ness's now slack fingers from his shoulder.

Sound and vision ceased to make sense. From somewhere (did it matter where?) came the unsteady shuffle of shoes on dirt, then a fading rustle of cloth on skin. It wasn't until Lucas had fully staggered to his feet that Ness snapped out of his reverie.

He lunged forward.

Vaguely, he registered how Lucas's eyes widened, how a brief flicker of surprise dilated across those pupils before they collided in a painful tangle of limbs. Engulfed with adrenaline, Ness didn't know what he was doing, much less what he was _trying_ to achieve, but suddenly, it seemed all too important to slam his palms against the wall, to pin the injured boy underneath him, and Lucas stared up at him in disbelief as if Ness had gone mad-

"Fight me!"

Okay, maybe he _had_ gone mad.

"No," Lucas said quietly.

Ness snarled at his lack of reaction, then in a sudden act of aggression, twisted his fists into Lucas's shirt. Ness could still feel the phantom bruise throbbing on his ribs where Claus had kicked him in the snow; Lucas could probably do just as worse if he wanted. "Bugger it; I'm fighting, aren't I?!"

"Ness."

"You're ten times the person I could ever be! So why can't you fight back?!"

"Ness."

"WHY WON'T YOU FIGHT BACK?!" Ness screamed, angry tears flying out of his eyes. Helplessness overwhelmed him, threatening to crush his lungs. "You don't like making people feel bad about themselves, so you let them do whatever they want to you. You let everyone trample over you, then brush it off like it's nothing, but it's not. It's _not_ nothing! Every time you treat yourself like shit, every time you think that you're an inconvenience..._you stab me with the_ _same bloody knife!_ Why can't you be selfish for once?! Why can't you see that _I'm_ always here for _you,_ just like all those times _you_ were there for _me?!"_

Lucas's shoulders slackened; he had suddenly found his shoes interesting.

It wasn't working.

His knuckles whitened. "I couldn't save BuzzBuzz, and if you...if you too..." Something wet trailed down Ness's cheeks, dripping onto his dirt-caked shoes. "Not you too..."

Lucas didn't respond.

Breathing heavily, Ness slackened his grip, letting the taller blond slide down the wall.

Ness had failed. His words hadn't been able to reach the other boy.

Turning away, he wiped his eyes against his sleeves. There was nothing left to say; what was the point? It was over. They were done for. Finished. Giygas was going to destroy the world, and everyone in it. His vision blurred at the thought; Ness miserably raked his eyes over the glistening rocks, which seemed to have lit up in dancing spots of bright light.

_**I'm ... It's been a long road getting here... Soon, I'll be... Soon, I'll be... Soon, I'll be...What will happen to us?**_

Then Ness snapped his head up, because he realized that the cave wasn't just glowing.

It was glowing with words.

_**W...what's happening? My thoughts are being written out on the wall... or are they?**_

With a startled jerk, Ness recoiled, snapping his palm away from the wall. The words vanished. As if nothing had happened, gemstones shimmered faintly in their wake.

The walls revealed a person's thoughts through touch.

Which meant...

Ness turned around.

**_Have to keep it together...Can't give up..._**

His eyes darted over to the owner of those thoughts, but Lucas hadn't budged an inch out of place.

**_Need to...Need to find another way..._**

Then Lucas lifted his head. Blue eyes pierced through him, and Ness realized that he had been wrong.

Lucas had never given up in the first place.

He spoke too little, never said enough, but what Lucas lacked in words he made up for in thought. He was still hurting in his own way, Ness could tell - he caught the faint sheen of moisture shimmering in those blue eyes - but Lucas didn't waste time dwelling over what _could have_ been done; he searched for what _could be_ done.

All along, Lucas had been two steps ahead of the game.

Ness just hadn't realized it.

**_Ness..._**

Lucas _was_ fighting back.

Incredulity dawning on his features, Ness couldn't help it; he threw back his head and laughed. He laughed, he cried, maybe even did a bit of both as he rushed forward to embrace him, his best friend,_ the kind, headstrong boy who cared too much in a world that cared too little..._

"Thanks..." Lucas whispered.

And the heavens breathed easy again.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**I've always been terrible at calling my parents. I don't think I've called home in...a week? Last year, there was a time where I wouldn't call home for months. It used to stress out my dad for days on end.**

**Guys, don't be like me. College can get rough, but your loved ones are always there for you. Don't leave them hanging.**

**Ah, the sorry ramblings of a homesick student. Forgive me. A lot has been on my mind these days. I ended up postponing my exam until January, so I'll try to keep up with the chapters. In the meantime, I'll work on responding to all your PMs this weekend. The homesickness will pass.**

**And on that cheerful note...Enjoy the chapter :)**

* * *

**Shimo no ko**: Haha, no need to calm down, buddy! If my words can evoke some sort of reaction from the audience, then I'm doing something right with my writing! ^_^ And LOL you caught the reference to the title. Heh I'm so subtle. XD And no, thank _you_ for reviewing. :) Reviewing is an art within itself; it's interesting to hear what other people have to say. Plus when I saw thou review, I couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day XD Dat wordsplosion tho

**DarkFoxKit**: Who knows how far BuzzBuzz will go? IT'S A MYSTERRRRY ;D And ahhh, that's pretty coincidental! I never watched Danny phantom before, but I've heard good things about it. Also you write for so many fandoms lol. Expertise at its finest. XD Also, AaaaAh I'm thrilled that you look forward to my chapters! ^_^ Thankees~

**Soliel**: NOOoooO don't cry I'm sorry here's a tissue AaaaAAahhH what have I done asdfghjklasfnalrngavawe

**PSIBoy**: Hey hey! Wow, you reread this entire story? That's a...wow. Kudos to you. XD Even now, I find flaws in my earlier chapters (for reals, Giygas is super cringy like wat the h), so I'm still working on them. Don't re-read them though; it's not worth the time, and they're horrible. XD AND YES FUNKY TEXT FTW :D You're not dreaming; I figured that since Mani Mani isn't exactly...human, there should be certain distortions to his speech. As for what Mani Mani _really_ is...we will figure out soon. As for the consequences of BuzzBuzz's actions...who knows? ;)

**Connor the speling pro**: Heh, I can't argue with that. I do review a lot slower these days. DX My god I'm gonna be like eighty when I finish this fic... *cries* Ah, I can understand the disappointment. :) But think of it this way; Claus is an important major character. If I plan for his death, it wouldn't be until the end of this fic. Can't let him die too soon. ;) PLOT BUILDUP YES! Also, no worries; I didn't go down the "Fire Emblem Cheese" route on purpose. I would have spent all that _le stab _drama for nothing XD And thanks for the crit! I do use an excessive amount of adverbs, so I've been combing through my earlier chapters and deleting them lol. My god, it's like weeding a fricking rose garden, I swear DX

**Plushiepaw**: Ahhh, I always love your reviews~ Also, I appreciate you coming back just to talk with boring old me lol XD And YAS the past chapters trying to catch the mood; now we're _really_ kicking off. ;D AND AHHH YES, time travel is tricky stuff. I hope I balanced it okay in this chapter. DX As for my stand on character death...I agree. I will only kill off characters if (1) their death adds to the story or (2) their death develops additional characterization.** If someone dies, it will be for a reason.** Likewise, I don't like useless deaths; everyone contributes something to this story, so it makes no sense for me to kill someone off just because. **That also means if a character ends up dying in this fic,** **he/she will stay dead.**

I bolded/underlined the sentences because I figured other readers would want to know, not because I'm angry lmao. XD But yeah, no worries, gurl; I won't kill someone off for laughs. I gotchu ;)

**DistorterOfPhase: **AAAAAY BUDDY it's so good to hear from you again! :D I hope you've been fine during then! And Lmao, it's okay; I got yo drift. ;) Everyone's busy, so I understand if you can't review. It makes me appreciate the time you put into your reviews. ^_^ And yes! You caught the whole "Ness stepping up as leader" theme! And it only took me like 30 chapters fml. XD AND YES TIME TRAVEL CONSPIRACY THEORIES WOOOO! XD But as you know, I won't say what happens next~ We'll see. ;)

The side cast _will_ appear again; So far, I'm estimating Chapter 34, but that depends on how long I want to write about the parents (**YES, Flint will make a comeback!**). I'm super stoked to get that chapter out, because it's also filled with drama~ And as for if we'll have a Ness/Paula/Jeff/Poo reunion...who knows? ;) AND AHHHH no, thank _you_ for reading. It's only thanks to readers like you that I'm still crackin at it. Dunno how long the fic will last...BUT I WILL SEE IT TO CONCLUSION *Karatechops watermelon into two*

**GlalieFanGurl**: Heh, you flatter me. My hands are cursed with friendship fluff. Romance was never supposed to be a part of this story until I realized that it was entirely necessary for the plot - the downsides of sticking to canon. But as far as romance goes, this chapter with Ninten and Ana is as explicit as it gets. I had a field day writing one paragraph; an entire fic of lovey-dovey sounds like death hahaha XD

**[Insert Disclaimer Here]**


	33. Long Shadow

_"A detention on the first week of school. What do you have to say for yourself?"_

_"...Oops?"_

_"Ken, I didn't send you off to a public school so that you could badmouth your teacher."_

_"This is different! Giygas practically asked for it-"_

_"You have no sense of shame. No man of this house will be known for misconduct. Tomorrow__, you will apologize to your math teacher for your unruly behavior-"_

_"I'm not sorry."_

_"You're not-? __I'm appalled by your nerve, Ken. __Perhaps I should have sent you off to that private military school in Winters-"_

_"No! Don't send me there-!"_

_"Snow Wood Academy for Young Boys is a school of excellence. Test averages are in the top 99% percentile. All of their teachers are overqualified. The nurses have at least ten years of experience dealing with the most dire of health cases. You will be well-disciplined among your peers."_

_"Not Snow Wood! I'm sorry, papa, please, just one more chance-"_

_"I am trying to be generous, son. I let you attend the high school you want. I let you hang out with the friends of your choice. In return, what have you done? Your math grades are falling. You invest more time into baseball than into Mock Trial, a club of which you are the CAPTAIN of. You are disappointing me, son. I didn't sign up for this. You don't need your social life to succeed. Your friends all have their own lives to worry about, and you have yours. Having friends is a__ privilege I can take away at any time. __Which brings me to the topic of your friends."_

_"Wait...what do you have against my friends?!"_

"_You can do better than that, Ken."_

_"Papa-"_

_"Take Ness, for example."_

_"Oh no, not this talk_ _again-"_

_"__Ness is the perfect role model. A strapping young lad. Very responsible. I also approve of his family. They are wonderful acquaintances of ours. Follow in his footsteps. You will learn much from hi- don't roll your eyes at me. It is unbecoming for a gentleman. __But the other two... They worry me."_

_"You mean the twins? Papa, they're BRILLIANT-!"_

_"Brilliant, you say, but I've heard rumors about their upbringing. Farm boys, __Ken. They're uneducated. Illiterate-"_

_"They're NOT illiterate!"_

_"I __don't know why you continue to talk of their so-called talent, but I wouldn't put it past them to cheat."_

_"Daaaaaaaaad-"_

_ "I heard that one got into a __car accident trying to play hookie on the second day of class. My lord, were they raised by nomads?! Did their parents not teach them school rules?!"_

_"Dad, you're not listening to meeee-"_

_"Son, this is serious. Be careful. If they ever force you to do anything uncouth, don't be shy to alert the authorities-" _

_"Oh my god, DAD!"_

_"_T__hey're distracting you from your studies. You got a detention, you say?_ They're a bad influence on your behavior. Particularly that red-head. Son, he's nothing but trouble-"_

_"It wasn't him! Dad, I swear, Claus isn't a bad influence! I slipped up, it was all me-"_

_"It was all you?"_

_"Yes!"_

_"I see. Hand over the ruler."_

_"Papa-"_

_"Know your place. Palms out. Sleeves up."_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_"Have you learned your lesson?"_

_"Yes, **sir."**_

_"Palms out. Ten more strokes for cheek."_

_"For what?! You don't even know why I got detention, because you never gave me a chance to explain!"_

_"Did you talk back to a teacher?"_

_"Yeah, but-"_

_"Did you disrupt class?"_

_"I did-"_

_"Then no explanation is needed. Palms out. Sleeves up."_

_"That's it. I'm leaving."_

_"Don't you dare turn your back on me-"_

_"You never have time to listen to me! So why should I listen to you? Well, news flash! Papa, you don't own me!"_

_"Young man, you take one foot out of this office, and I'm transferring you to Snow Wood-__"_

_"WATCH ME__! I CAN GO WHEREVER I WANT-!"_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_"Pick yourself off the floor. I have a client coming in at five."_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_"We'll have dinner sent up to your room."_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_"I don't want to see your face. Get out of my sight."_

...

_..._

_..._

**_"You are a disgrace to our family."_**

* * *

Something soft cushioned his head.

A crisp crackle of bedsheets entered his ears, and Ninten's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"...What?" Ninten murmured, pressing a hand against his unruly hair. It felt strangely lightheaded without the lopsided weight of his hat-

His hat!

In a frantic search for his missing article of clothing, a glint of silver caught his eye, and he turned his palm around.

Cuffs.

His blood ran cold at the familiar design secured around his wrists. A metallic lining around the edges confirmed his worst suspicions.

"Pk Powershield."

Nothing happened.

No doubt Giygas had upgraded his handcuffs from the research facility escapade. His fingers clawed at the icy bands of metal, desperate to find a chink in the armor; out of sheer desperation, Ninten sank his teeth into the metal. A sickly sour taste exploded in his mouth, and coughing, Ninten turned away, spitting out the rusty aftertaste lingering on his tongue.

Terrified eyes roamed the glossy wallpaper. No windows. A happy red chair. A wooden cabinet. Two arching doorframes, one hanging ajar to reveal a small bathroom. The bedroom itself was simple, empty and painstakingly plain.

Ninten's skin crawled. His eyes darted to the ceiling. Despite the lack of human presence, his sixth sense told him that he wasn't alone.

He was being watched.

"Let me out," he said out loud.

Silence.

"Thanks for nothing," Ninten muttered, rolling his eyes. He crawled out of bed; to his relief, he noticed his hat hanging on the chair. Without hesitation, he plopped the hat onto his head and forced a grin.

"Lookin' handsome."

Yeah, right.

A sharp whir shattered the silence. The red chair hummed, then transformed, clunking into place. Alarmed, Ninten snapped his hands out with a ready incantation on his lips-

Right. No PSI.

Ninten backed away, watching the robotic transformation in growing apprehension. Four tall limbs protruded out of the rising torso. As its body towered over in height, a cube-like head spun around with a curious chirp. Two lenses clicked into place; soft golden eyes glowed with warmth.

**"Rebooting system...C plus plus code sequence: _main(){extrn a,b,c; putchar(a); putchar(b); putchar(c); putchar('!*n');} a 'hell'; b 'o, w'; c 'orld'; _Processing..."** Eve blinked.** "Hello, World! Command _Hello, World!_ processed. Scanning for viruses. Infected files: None! Opening heat map: one figure detected."**

With a startling suddenness, Eve twisted her head in his direction.

**"Nyaaah...?"**

Ninten backpedaled away. "No!"

Eve spread her arms wide with a glowing emoticon. "**~(^◇^)~**"

"I don't want a hug!" Ninten snapped, darting out of her way, but for something ten times his weight, Eve was almost as agile. Ignoring his protests, metal arms swooped forward, latching firmly onto his ankles. With a sudden dizzying sensation, Eve lifted him upside down into the air, and Ninten struggled, trying to kick his feet free.

"Let go, you crazy robot!"

**"Scanning...Scanning...Identification confirmed. Hello, Master Ken. I am Eve the Good Robot."** It emitted another curious whirring noise, lens zooming in on its object of interest. **"Health...unsatisfactory. Fatigue high. Blood glucose low. Symptoms of malnutrition. Sending request to kitchen..."** She cocked her head. **"Error 404. Page does not exist. Dialing..."**

"Put me down!"

**"Processing command, _Put me down._ Unable to process. Transferring command to Master Giygas. Dial to kitchen on hold. Waiting...waiting..."**

**Beep. Bop. Boop.**

A weary voice entered the receiver in a crackle of static. "Yes, Eve?"

**"Registered command, _Put me down_. Accept command?"**

On the other end, the tapping of fingers on a keyboard ceased. "No."

**"Command declined-"**

"Giygas, call off your stupid robot!"

"Eve," came his uncle's dry voice. "Command three-six-two."

The robot hummed, then cuddled around Ninten's struggling form. **"Danger. Assassination attempt in progress. Lockdown initiated. Protect Master Ken-"**

"GIYGAS!"

A crackle of static. Eve glanced down at her chest with sad eyes. **"Dial disconnected."**

Ninten swore, mouthing off some very colorful words.

Eve blinked down at him. "**You are very short."**

"Haha."

**"Searching...Haha. About 451,000,000 searches. Define...Haha. A figure of speech used to represent laughter, often to express amusement or derision." **Eve cocked her head.** "Are you amused?"**

"Oh, I'm dying of laughter," Ninten said sarcastically, wriggling an arm out of her grip. He let out a loud yelp when Eve bopped her head against his. "Ow, Eve, what the-"

**"Zero threats detected. On standby mode. System shutdown..."**

"Ah, wait! Don't shut dow-"

With a robotic whir, the bright lenses lost their glow, leaving Ninten stuck in his predicament.

Exasperated, Ninten threw his free arm into the air. "I don't know why I even bother..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The next day, he awoke to a particularly painful clawing sensation in his stomach.

With a grimace, Ninten tried to ignore it the best he could, but he hadn't eaten anything for a day, or perhaps even more. Thoughts of his mother's amazing prime ribs floated into his head; his mouth watered, craving the taste of her sweet marinated sauce dipped with crushed pineapple and fresh pinenuts.

Mom.

He wondered if his mother suspected anything about her brother's psychosis.

His mother tried her best to to take care of them, but she was spread so thin, never home these days after George had grown weak and frail from age. George needed help to do even the simplest of menial tasks, and since his mother didn't have the heart to send him to a nursery home, she took it on herself to care for him instead. When Ninten was younger, he remembered tagging along with her to these visits, but with his father's increasing demand that he "learn how to be the proper gentleman," Ninten was rarely given idle time to even visit his great grandfather.

Ninten winced, feeling his stomach churn. He was just starting to realize that his family was messed up in more ways than one. Heck, even with Claus's rocky relationship with his father, at least Flint cared. Sometimes, Ninten felt envious of the love and concern Flint's eyes expressed, even though the silent man rarely acted upon it. Maybe it was his heightened sense of PSI telling him lies, but gods did Ninten know.

**_You are a disgrace to our family._**

Yeah, thanks, dad. I love you too.

His throat closed up, and coughing, Ninten emitted a grating rasp. "Eve, let me go..."

The robot couldn't hear him. Nobody could.

Exhausted, Ninten fell into an uneasy bout of sleep.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_"Not looking so good, is he...?"_

_"Stupid child...got himself sick-"_

_"But you said...bored! Darling, let me-"_

_"No. I will break him."_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The third time round, Ninten found himself tucked back in bed.

A delicious, tantalizing aroma wafted into his nose. His eyes burst open. A tray of steaming, hot food rested on the bedside cabinet. A familiar whir broke the silence, and from the side of his vision, Eve curiously blinked at him from her corner.

Of course. He was under surveillance.

Ninten felt his stomach plummet. What was he thinking?! Ness had a point: Ninten couldn't guarantee that Giygas would listen to him, much less keep him alive. Until Ness and Lucas arrived, Ninten was a prisoner, trapped within the confines of his mind. Four corners of a room wasn't going to save him from Giygas's wrath.

Once more, he was useless. A disgrace to his friends and family.

Turning his nose up, Ninten rolled over so that his back was facing the tray. Knowing Giygas, it was probably spiked, drugged with truth serum or something similar of the sort. Or perhaps he had already been drugged; this entire room could be another hallucination, a mere fabrication of his mind. He didn't know, and didn't care.

Adults couldn't be trusted.

Ignoring the painful growl of his stomach, Ninten closed his eyes.

_I'm not falling for your tricks. _

He didn't trust Giygas. He refused to eat anything his uncle offered him.

Ninten slept, wavering in and out of consciousness. Once, he had woken, feverish and sweaty with someone's hand on his hair (mom...?) and tried to open his eyes, but his muscles refused to obey his mind. Time blurred in his groggy state.

Finally, once upon a forever, someone poked him in the back. He grimaced in pain; the finger was sharp and persistent, mercilessly abusing his nerves.

Only one person would poke him like that.

"Claus...?" Ninten croaked, opening his eyes. A dizzy wave struck him, but despite his swaying vision, he saw that _Claus_ was wearing glasses and had gone bald.

_No._

"Ken."

_Not you._

"Wake."

Denial caved into crushing disappointment. Those blue eyes didn't belong to his best friend.

Making no motion to sit up, Ninten stubbornly refused to meet his uncle's gaze. The room tilted and swayed. Something slithered over his hand-

"Don't touch me!" Ninten hissed, recoiling from his uncle's fingers.

Giygas retracted his hand. His face remained as impassive as ever. "You haven't eaten in three days. If you keep going like this, you'll die."

"Hooray."

A clink of china. Sinking the tiny spoon into the Strawberry Tofu, Giygas dug out a quivering slice and lifted the hovering scoop to his nephew's mouth. "Eat."

Ninten clamped his jaw shut.

_"Eat,"_ Giygas repeated, prodding the spoon against closed lips.

Ninten wrinkled his nose. His hunger disappeared, twisting his stomach into nauseous knots. After what he had been through, the thought of food suddenly made him queasy. Claus's emotionless expression swam to mind, and Ninten remembered how easily he had turned on his own brother, the way Lucas's blood had smeared the grooves between his knuckles, the horrible strangled noises Lucas had made every time Claus had struck him with his fists-

Ninten clapped both hands over his mouth.

"If you won't open your mouth, then I will forcefeed you." Giygas's voice betrayed no emotion, but Ninten felt those soulless eyes boring holes into his skull. "It will be a highly unpleasant ordeal for both of us."

Oh, Ninten would like to see him try.

Seething, Ninten shot him a furious glare. _"Make me."_

Before Ninten could realize what had happened, his uncle's fingers had smothered his face. Wild-eyed in confusion, Ninten kicked out, but an unseen force latched onto his ankles, yanking them back down onto the bed. A tingling sense of overwhelming power crawled down his spine; Giygas's PSI was alien and unearthly, washing over his downed form with barely any effort.

Giygas had subdued him without lifting a finger.

Dread prickled his skin. Just how powerful was his uncle?

"Stop moving!" Giygas snapped, ripping the tangled covers away from his kicking legs. "You're making this incredibly difficult!"

That was the whole point. Ninten redoubled his efforts, wriggling around for all he was worth.

Breathing heavily, Giygas glowered down at him, his eyes mere centimeters away from Ninten's own. "Open your mouth."

Furiously shaking his head, Ninten's fingers flew to the hand pinching his nose shut, but another surge of telekinetic power had seized his wrists, pinning them against the bedposts. His smothered throat screamed for air, and fearing another asthma attack, Ninten opened his mouth to draw in a huge gasp-

He almost choked on the spoonful of strawberry tofu shoved onto his tongue.

It tasted delicious, a refreshing flavor that tingled on his taste buds, but refusing to savor the taste, Ninten gagged, trying to spit it out. Without pause, the spindly fingers were back; a cold palm pressed itself hard against his lips.

"Swallow."

Ninten glared up at him.

Undaunted, Giygas met his gaze head on. "You are wasting my time."

Good. Not like it was important anyways.

Giygas furrowed his eyebrows, finally allowing a clear sign of annoyance to etch his forehead. "Do not vex me," he said quietly, his eyes dancing alit with a sudden madness. "**yOu dO nOT KnOw wHAt i aM cAPaBlE oF.**"

Something told Ninten not to piss him off.

Swallowing down his pride, Ninten obeyed. The strawberry tofu slid easily down his abused throat, and Ninten shuddered at the slimy texture it trailed behind.

Icy fingers released his mouth, then wrapped around his right wrist. Ninten jerked away, instinctively curling his left hand into an unsteady fist, but Giygas had already hoisted him up into the air. Ninten flushed; it bothered him how easily Giygas was able to carry him like a mere child, as if he weighed nothing, and ashamed, Ninten swung his free fist around.

"What do you want?! I swallowed your stupid tofu!"

"Finish the meal."

"Leggo of me!"

"Don't make me forcefeed you again."

"Where's Claus?! What did you do to him?"

"He's still alive."

"Why are you here? Come to watch me suffer too?"

"Your well-being is my priority. I can't interrogate a dead person-"

A bitter laugh escaped from Ninten's lips. When the brief burst of hysteria ended, it left his chest hollow and empty. "I'm already half-dead, _uncle._ I don't care." Wrenching his arm free, Ninten rolled over to stare at the ceiling. "Ask away."

There was a heavy sigh, then a rattle of silverware as Giygas set the tray of delicious food down. "I honestly do not wish to harm anyone-"

"Tell that to my friends."

"I needed the extra PSI for my project. Having said that, I was going to set you all free."

"You sicced _shrooms_ on us!"

"And you have a track record of _sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong._" Giygas's voice turned cold. "It was reckless of you to antagonize Fassad. You're lucky to be alive."

"Like you care," Ninten said hollowly, then turned over.

"Had you followed my instructions and returned home, none of this would've happened."

Ninten shivered, curling up into a ball, then lifted the sheets over his head, covering himself in a duffet of blankets. "You want something from me. That's the only reason you're keeping me alive." A lump rose into his throat. "Well, I'm here. Go on, Giygas. Haunt me. Pull another Trauma 2.0, but I'm not telling you anything-"

_"Ken."_

Despite the defiance in his eyes, Ninten was shaking. "Do whatever you want with me. It's not like I can stop you," Ninten said, scrunching his eyes.

A tinge of annoyance entered Giygas's voice. "You are childish. I only hurt you because you insisted on throwing yourself in the way of my master scheme-"

Ninten snorted in derision.

"You test my patience," Giygas repeated yet again, then rose. "Very well. If you insist on behaving in this ridiculous manner-"

"...Are you really possessed?"

At his words, Giygas paused, halting in half-crouch. "That is none of your concern," he said, an edge entering his voice. "And a foolhardy question at that."

"Your eyes change colors," Ninten whispered. He refused to turn around. "I can't tell which is worse: a deranged madman who listens to no one, or a deadbeat uncle who never cared for anyone other than himself."

Giygas fell silent. He glanced at his hands, then back at his nephew.

"Your PSI is blocked. Don't take off your cuffs. It is an impossible feat, and you will only strain yourself," Giygas said. "Fever pills are on the nightstand. Painkillers are on your dinner tray. _Eat everything._ I will be back to check on you shortly."

Ninten said nothing.

Giygas stepped out. His cloak swished behind his footsteps like a shadow, and with a gentle click, the lock on the door slid shut.

Alone at last.

Gritting his teeth, Ninten clapped his hands over his eyes, and sank his head into the pillows.

_**You are a disgrace to our family.**_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_"Wait up, Claus!"_

_The figure ahead didn't even turn around. "I'm Lucas."_

_"Yeah, and my dog is a cat."_

_"...Hi, Ken."_

_As twins, Lucas and Claus had always attracted an innate sort of fascination wherever they went. Sure, Lucas was nice, and everyone liked him, but **Claus**...Ninten's stomach did a backflip. Claus was so...COOL. Claus rarely talked to anyone other than his brother, but had a sharp wit that could put the arrogant in their place. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind even if it cost him points in popularity, and brimmed with a staggering amount of confidence that Ninten could only wish he had. _

_In short, Claus was strong, smart, and insanely talented. He was everything that Ninten was not._

_And Ninten had never met anyone so cool in his life. _

_"Whatcha doin, Claus?"_

_"Breathing."_

_"Cool! Can I breathe with you?"_

_"No. Drop dead."_

_"That's funny!"_

_"It's not supposed to be."_

_"You're really funny! Can you tell me more jokes?"_

_"I don't joke."_

_"Of course you don't! Can I walk with you to class?"_

_The older teen threw him an exasperated look, but didn't comment. Taking that as a yes, Ninten tagged along like an eager puppy, taking three steps for every one of Claus's long strides._

_Claus had spoken to him._

_His sixth grade **idol** had spoken to **him.**_

_Ninten beamed, happily slinging his arm over his shoulder. "I don't know why nobody ever talks to you. You're a comedy genius!"_

_Claus suddenly came to a halt. "Why do you keep talking to me?" he said quietly. "I've only been rude to you."_

_At his words, Ninten's smile faltered. Ninten shrugged then cast his eyes to the side. "__I owe you for yesterday. If it hadn't been for you, I'd be breathing in a hospital right now."_

_"I guess so." _

_"That means I'm gonna tag around until I can repay the favor!"_

_Claus stopped in his tracks. Even from here, Ninten could see his cheeks burning a deep crimson. "You don't have to..." Claus cleared his throat, then ducked his head, distinctly looking embarrassed. "I mean...if you're going to follow me around everywhere, we might as well be friends."_

_Friends?_

_DID THE COOLEST, MOST SINGLEHANDEDLY WICKED AWESOME PERSON IN SCHOOL JUST ASK HIM TO BE FRIENDS?!_

_"You don't have to if you don't want to," Claus said quickly, misinterpreting the shocked expression on his face. "I mean, it's just a thought-"_

_Ninten punched him in the shoulder. "Shut. Up." He was beaming so widely that he felt like his grin was going to fall off his face any second. "Of course we can be friends!"_

_Claus grimaced, rubbing his shoulder. "Don't expect me to be nice like Ness. I'm not...It's just not the kind of person I am."_

_Ninten shot him a grin. "Duh. Friends play nice, but **best friends** cuss each other out."_

_"You're so weird." A small smile twitched on Claus's lips. "I saw you had a DS. You play Smash?"_

_"Heck yeah!"_

_"Cool. Let's play sometime. Three stock, no items." With a casual air, Claus stuffed his hands into his jeans. "__Well, I'm gonna go check on my brother. See you in class, Nintendo."_

_"Nintendo?"_

_"Yeah. **Ninten****.**"_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It wasn't until late at night when Giygas dropped by to check on his sick nephew.

Who was no longer in bed.

Halting in his tracks, Giygas frowned, eyes raking the bedside cabinet. To his relief, the fever pills and painkillers were gone; the dinner tray, half-empty. He snapped his attention back to study the soft imprint on the mattress. Judging from the depth of the imprint, Ninten had been sitting here not too long ago. Had he escaped?

Instantly, Giygas was on red-alert, shifting his gaze across the windowless walls. Impossible. The door had been locked. There was nowhere for Ninten to go except-

A horrible retching hit his ears.

His frown deepened. Resting his knuckles against the grooves of the bathroom door, Giygas pushed it ajar.

Stiff fingers gripping the rim of the toilet bowl, Ninten had sunk onto his knees. His breathing sounded heavy and ragged. At Giygas's approach, he lifted his head with watery eyes before choking, weakly retching up another round of bile.

His nephew's wide-eyed stare seemed to have frozen Giygas in place.

Humiliation prickling his cheeks, Ninten dropped his gaze, then shrank backwards against the wall. Hunching in his shoulders, his tiny frame looked even more vulnerable in the limelight. "D-Don't look at me."

"It's not your fault-"

_"I SAID DON'T LOOK AT ME!"_

If Giygas was taken aback by the sudden outburst, he didn't show it. With watchful eyes, he came to a halt, standing a respectable distance away.

His nephew was such a proud person...

A hiccup. The pitiful form quivered on the cold linoleum tiles. A muffled whimper escaping from chapped lips, Ninten choked, his ribs heaving from the force of his distressed sobs. "D-Don't look at m-m-me..."

Giygas heaved a quiet sigh. "Come here."

At the feel of frigid fingers rubbing against his back, Ninten recoiled, drawing closer to the toilet. "St-Stop it..." Ninten shuddered. "Euuugh-"

"You barely ate anything."

"Too...much. F-Food makes me sick..."

"Your diet is simply appalling. What does Carol cook you at home?"

Another hiccup. Unable to respond, Ninten shivered, ribs wracking with the wrath of his disgruntled stomach.

"You don't eat much, do you?"

Ninten shook his head.

Giygas sighed. "We are going to have to fix that."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Come five minutes later, they were trapped in an elevator dropping to the ground floor.

_**"Here in my arms, here in my heart_._ All that I needed was you-"**_

The music choice was terrible, unfitting for the dreary prison they were stuck in. Ninten winced, hearing the light, overly-optimistic lyrics bounce against the walls. What had he done to deserve this torture?

"Where are we going?"

"Out. There is a diner I would like to take you to."

Ninten grimaced. "I'm not hungry-"

"You need to eat. Besides, I am famished. Are you cold?"

He shivered, crossing his arms. "No."

Shaking his head, Giygas unbuttoned his own coat from underneath his black cloak. A fluffy sleeve brushed against Ninten's shoulder; the coat was soft and velvety under his touch, heating the icy chill from Ninten's skin, and before Giygas had shaken the coat off completely, Ninten had already snuggled himself into the welcome warmth.

Giygas snorted. "And you call me cold."

"You're not very nice." Ninten buried his face deeper into the coat. "I still hate you."

Giygas frowned down at the quivering lump. Deducing that the meds had finally started to kick in, Giygas shook his head, trying to ignore the strange pang in his chest.

The hotel(?) elevator dinged open.

**"Lobby."**

"Out we go," Giygas muttered, awkwardly prodding Ninten in the back.

As soon as they had stepped out of the elevator, a hotel bellman flickered into existence. "Good day! Good night!" he said. His green bowler hat cheerfully bobbed up and down. "Welcome to Moonside. Welcome to Moonside. Wel come to Moo nsi ns dem oons ide-"

"What is he talking about?" Ninten whispered. He clung tighter onto Giygas's hand, watching the transparent figure in confused fright.

"Not now," Giygas muttered, covering his nephew's eyes with a hand. "ManiMani, I want the city cleared."

The bellman bowed. "People come. People go. YeS? nO? "

"Yes."

"I go bye-bye." With the wave of his cheerful green hat, the bellman vanished.

Lifting his uncle's hand from his eyes, Ninten's stomach dropped. "Where did he go?"

"He's not real."

"But..."

Giygas pinched the bridge of his nose. "I will fill you in later, Ken," he said quietly. "But for now, let nothing disturb you."

Nodding, Ninten coughed, bringing a hand up to his mouth. The wet, hacking sound forced Giygas to halt in his tracks. When his uncle turned around to look at him, Ninten hastily hid his hand behind his back.

"Are you still not feeling well?"

"I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine." Giygas reached out for his hand. His dark cloak swished, curling around their heels. "Perhaps the trip outside can wait-"

Ninten colored up, then retreated into his coat. "It's okay, I can handle it-"

With a frown, Giygas hooked a finger underneath a metal cuff, and Ninten froze. A brief look of panic flashed across Ninten's face before he dove into his uncle's cloak, which fluttered, cascading down Giygas's tall shoulders in a billowing curtain of black.

Knitting his brows together, Giygas eyed him with a look. "Ken," he said dryly. "You cannot be serious."

Ninten shook his head, then shyly latched onto his uncle's fingers. Shivering, he wrapped himself deeper into his uncle's cloak, and effectively snuggled himself out of view.

Scowling, Giygas contemplated using telekinesis to tear him away. Apparently, sickness had a tendency to turn children into overly affectionate saps. The indignity of this situation was beyond comprehensible.

"Oh my, Giygas, darling~❤! What are you doing up so late?"

His nephew stiffened up against his side.

Ah. Ninten must have sensed the Magypsy's approach.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Giygas turned around to face his business partner. "Going on a midnight stroll. Care to join me?"

Fassad tittered, waving his offer aside. "Thank you, dear, but it's been a long day. Perhaps another time." Fassad's eyes lingered over the bulge in Giygas's cloak. "Taking your nephew out for a walk?"

"He's ill. The night air will do him some good." Giygas poked the bulge. "Ken. Say hello to our guest-"

Ninten's grip tightened on the coat.

Fassad eyed the bulge in amusement. "Shy little fellow?" His smile took on a plastic quality. "Didn't seem to strike me as the sort when we met."

"He was acting under the impulse of his friends."

Fassad gave a sniff. "I don't know, Giygas. He cursed me out!"

Giygas threw his nephew another look, an effect that was lost by the lump in his cloak. "Apologize, Ken."

The lump stirred. Tiny fingers peeked out from between the folds of the cloak. Rubbing his groggy eyes with an arm, Ninten shook his head; even now, he refused to drop his uncle's hand.

With a careful cautiousness, Giygas pried his grip off, then rested the same palm on his head. "Ken," he said quietly. "Do as I say."

Ninten opened his mouth in a yawn. "Don't want to..."

Despite himself, the corner of Giygas's mouth twitched. "He's tired."

Fassad's heart melted. Crooning, the Magypsy dropped down into a crouch. "Awww...Are you sleepy?" he simpered, reaching for Ninten's shoulder. A look of discomfort flashed across Ninten's face; he shied back to avoid the touch, but Fassad was not to be deterred. "That's all right, dear. Here, why don't you let Uncle Fassad take you upstairs-"

"No." Much to Giygas's chagrin, Ninten buried himself back into the oversized cloak. "I don't like you."

Fassad's jaw dropped in a perfect O. "Giygas, did you just hear that? He doesn't like me!"

"Apparently."

"Why I never!" Peeved, Fassad stomped his foot onto the ground. "Don't just stand there! Do something!"

Like a bemused parent who really couldn't be bothered, Giygas poked the lump in his cloak. "Ken, you heard the nice man. Apologize."

The lump in his cloak stirred. Innocent brown eyes peeked out of the big-buttoned coat. Ninten blinked, long and slow, regarding Fassad with an unfathomable expression. Then with an air that _screamed_ deliberate, Ninten pulled down an eyelid, then flicked out his tongue. "BLEH."

With an infuriated screech, Fassad dove forward with extended hands. "YOU-!"

"Fassad." A cold hand curled around Ninten's shoulders and pulled him out of reach. "You are an adult. Calm yourself."

At the hard rebuke, the Magypsy withdrew, breathing heavily. "You think...you're _so_ funny..." he panted, fixing a nasty glare in Ninten's direction. "Oooooh, just you wait. One of these days...!"

Eyes drooping, Ninten didn't seem to have heard - he had begun to nod off.

Fassad looked like he had chewed on a sour lemon. "Don't be disrespectful!" he snarled, trying to pry the black cloak off his bundled form. As soon as the winter chill touched his skin, Ninten snapped awake with a sharp cry, then dug his fingernails deeper into the cloak. Seething, Fassad yanked him out by the collar of his coat. "Listen to me when I'm talking to you-"

**"dO nOt dISobEy mE."**

The inhuman rasp was hard to miss. All color instantly drained out of Fassad's face. He blanched, letting Ninten go. "Giygas-"

**"tHiS bOY iS mIne tO KiLL."**

"O-Of course! Anything you say, dear!" Fassad stammered. Genuine fear radiated from the Magypsy in such intense waves that Ninten fought the urge to shiver. An icy feeling spread across his shoulders where Giygas's arm rested, dragging him close.

A pained grimace flashed across his uncle's face. Placing a hand on his forehead, Giygas closed his eyes. When he reopened them, Giygas betrayed not a sliver of emotion. "Excuse me."

Fassad pointed into his face. "It happened again," he said feebly.

"I see." Something shifted in Giygas's expression. "Ken, apologize."

It was now Ninten's turn to grimace. "But-"

_"Apologize."_

Throwing a scathing look in Fassad's direction, Ninten forced the words out like broken glass. "I'm _sorry."_

Milking the moment out, Fassad threw him a sweet smile. "For...?"

"For demolishing your tiny ego."

The lights flickered.

Fassad's smile froze. His eyes bulging, he slowly snapped his fingers, conjuring a trail of sparks that glistened a deep maroon. His voice sounded dangerously quiet. "Care to repeat that, dear?"

"You don't deserve an apology." Ninten gripped Giygas's arm tighter. "You think that your lies fool people, but I can see right through you. You're using my uncle, just like you've been using everyone else-"

"Excuse me? Insolent child, I'll have you know that I'm perfectly lovable-"

"Hard to see why."

"You- Why, I ought to _slap_ you! Listen to me, you brat-"

"Don't bother. I've seen what you are. You're nothing but a two-time, double-crossing snake-in-the-mud!"

"Why, the sheer _nerve!_" With a screech, Fassad jabbed a furious finger in his direction. "You, boy, are the rudest creature I have _ever_ laid my eyes upon! Don't you _dare_ insult me-_"_

"Filthy coward!"

"Coward? Oh, of all the accusations! I'm done. I've had enough of your smart mouth." Fassad's eyes hardened. "Giygas, control your nephew."

Ninten laughed. "Scared, are you? Good, I know too much to fall for your cheap tricks-"

_**SMACK!**_

The sharp slap sent Ninten staggering off his feet. Brown eyes dilated, feeling the sudden shock of tiles hitting his stomach. Sprawled face-down against the cold floor, Ninten recoiled, lifting a palm up to the red mark on his stinging cheek. Betrayed realization sank into his features.

His uncle had backhanded him.

The Magypsy burst into a series of high-pitched giggles. "Oooooo~ It looks like someone's in _truh-ble~❤"_

"That's enough, Fassad." It was obvious that Giygas was in a foul mood. Sour-faced, Fassad sulked, retreating to the side. Giygas turned to the frozen figure on the floor. His face closed itself off into a cold mask. "Stop dawdling. Get up."

Quietly, Ninten picked himself back up. He wouldn't meet his uncle's eyes.

Throwing Ninten a smug smirk that went unnoticed, Fassad stroked his mustache in approval. "I see that you have your dog on his leash~❤ I change my mind about what I said earlier. I like this one. He's got attitude." With half-lidded eyes, Fassad tapped his long nails in his direction. "When do you plan on killing him, Giygas, dear?"

"Soon." Giygas's eyes hovered over Ninten's shaking form. The frown still hadn't left his face. "If he won't behave, then he might be better off dead."

Fassad sighed, nodding his head in sympathy. "I see. Well, you should consider keeping him alive. Children could be useful once properly trained. It took me a while to break mine, but he'll do anything I tell him." The Magypsy snapped his fingers. "Here, boy."

The temperature dropped. The torches died in a hiss of smoke, plunging the floor into the depths of darkness. A clunky sound echoed against the marble tiles, and with a slow crackle, the lights flickered back to life, illuminating another pair of dark boots kneeling at their side. Only then did Ninten let a surprised noise escape from his lips.

_Claus..._

With a joyful squeal, Fassad clapped his hands together. "Oh, that dramatic entrance! What flair! What grandeur! Why, commander, in all my years, I have_ never_-" His features darkened. "-seen anyone as _stupid_ or as _dimwitted _as you. Up! Get up!" Fassad rapped his mask, and his subordinate rose. "You're late. Once again, you failed me. Didn't we clear this out at the limo? I _give_ you an order. You _follow_ the order. How hard is it to understand? Are you deaf? _No comprendo?!"_

The Masked Man didn't respond.

Reaching over, Fassad gripped his jaw with a pudgy hand. _"Answer me,"_ the Magypsy hissed, digging his nails deeper into his cheek. "I stopped your heart, not your voice!"

A soft monotone. "I serve Master Fassad."

The dangerous tension passed. Like a dispersing thundercloud, all the anger drained out of Fassad's face, and satisfied, Fassad released him. "Oh, stop it, you~❤" the Magypsy giggled, shoving him on the shoulder. "It's almost like you know _exactly_ how I feel-"

"Don't touch him," Ninten suddenly said.

"And he speaks...!" Fassad cast an amused eye in his direction, then snapped his fingers. With a sharp snap and crackle, a magical flame danced at his fingertips, and Fassad lit his cigarette. The funky tang of shrooms pierced Ninten's throat. "Haven't you learned your lesson, sweet? You might want to be a little more careful with your tongue~❤"

"Get your grubby fingers off-"

"Sweetie, please. Your friend came to me, oh-so depressed and brokenhearted~ His brother had betrayed his trust, you see. How cruel! How tragic! I only granted him his greatest wish: a burning desire for _revenge-"_

"He loved his brother." Ninten's voice shook with barely-restrained anger. "Lucas meant the world to him, and you turned that against him."

"Hun, It's not a crime if he _wanted_ it. Did I tell him to run away from Saturn Valley? No. Did I tell him to turn himself in? No. Sweetheart, your friend made all the choices until the very end. The right ones too, if I may add~❤" Fassad smiled through half-lidded eyes. "If you liked him, then perhaps you shouldn't have let him go. But as you teens say: your loss, sweetheart." The Magypsy prodded his subordinate with a curved, manicured finger. "Tell him, dear."

"I serve Master Fassad."

Veins coursing with fury, Ninten's fists shook at his side. "You-!"

"We forged a deal, sweetheart. I taught him PK Love. How am I unfair? Personally, I think he got the better end of the bargain. No more pain. No more suffering. No more, well, _nothing,_ because he can't feel a thing at all! In the end, he got what he wanted, sweetheart. That's why _my_ business booms~❤" Fassad blew out a ring of smoke. It wafted right into Ninten's face, and with a look of disgust, the boy swatted it away. Fassad tittered, lowering his cigar. "Oops. But as I was saying...Supply and demand, dear. I'm surprised that your _dear Papa_ hasn't taught you a single thing-"

"Don't talk about him!"

"Sore subject?" The corner of Fassad's mouth twitched up. "Your father wanted a first-born son, a strong, dependable heir to carry on his perfect little business. But then you came. You crushed his dreams. _You_ entered the world, a weak, frail boy with a rebellious streak and powers unsuited for diplomacy. Can you imagine the public outrage at the thought of a telepath laywer in court? It would ruin your father's reputation. So he had to train you. He had to keep you under his thumb. From the start, your life had been planned carefully from every hour to the day, every day to the week, every week to the year. You had your own future mapped out for you, dear...but you couldn't even follow that properly. All you cause your father is grief. Ungrateful bastard_. _Mistake of nature._ You're nothing but a disgrace to your own family._"

All the color drained out of Ninten's face. He looked like had been slapped a second time.

"It's a such shame that we can't be friends, but what can I say? There's always going to be a rotten grape in the vineyard." Satisfied, Fassad hummed, tapping a finger to his own nose. "Giygas, dear~❤ If you ever need help in teaching your boy some manners..." Fassad eyed Ninten's still figure in amusement. "I'll be happy to offer some lessons. For a fee, of course. Good night, darlings~❤"

Giygas dipped his head in a curt nod.

Flashing a last smile in Ninten's direction, Fassad swept into the waiting elevator. The Masked Man followed suit, obeying his master's command, and as the older boy roughly brushed past his shoulder, Ninten stared down at the tiled floor. The elevator doors closed behind them with a soft ding.

"A nuisance of a man. Such is the consequence of having a friend." With a shake of the head, Giygas reached for his nephew's arm. "Time is ticking. Let us depart-"

Recoiling, Ninten slapped his hand aside. He staggered to his feet. "You are a despicable man," he hissed, angry eyes welling up with moisture. "You play with everyone's emotions and make them feel like shit, just because you _can_."

Giygas was unsympathetic. "I had to give Fassad a show."

"And you gave him one. You gave him a good show, all right."

Giygas furrowed his eyebrows. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Bitter sarcasm dripped from Ninten's voice. "Congratulations. I bet it feels _great_ to be in control of my life. Terrorizing me really makes you feel better about yourself, doesn't it? Makes you feel better after you slipped up-"

"Don't be unreasonable. I didn't hit you hard-"

"That's not the point!" Ninten's voice had risen, echoing against the walls of the lonely lobby. Something had flared up in his eyes, reflecting the shining lamp lights. "Why do you trust him?! Why can't you see that he's playing you for a fool?!"

_"Enough,"_ Giygas said in a sharp voice. "You are acting out of hand-"

"_I'm_ acting out of hand?! Do you think that this is all a big joke? Dragging me out here for your entertainment? Hitting me because I'm a disgrace-" Ninten bit himself off with a sudden choke. "Whatever. What would _you _know about being a disgrace? You're brilliant. You were born brilliant, and you had to set that bar for me before you left, didn't you?"

Giygas's frown deepened. "I don't understand-"

"Of course you don't. For a smart person, you're as blind as a bat." Ninten glared at the floor. The imprint on his right cheek burned a like an angry rash. "Why didn't you save him?"

Ninten didn't need to clarify. Giygas knew exactly whom his nephew was talking about.

"...Claus was standing _right there_," Ninten spoke, his voice sounding terribly hoarse. "You're supposed to be a teacher. Why didn't you do anything? Why didn't you speak up for him?"

Giygas rested a firm hand on his shoulder. "Come-"

Ninten jerked it off.

Giygas's eyes hardened. "Ken."

"You lied to me." Ninten's voice was now shaking. "You told me that you didn't want to hurt anyone, but you let one of your students down. What kind of teacher are you?!"

"Don't question my motives."

"I'm an idiot. I fell for the same trick twice." Swaying unsteadily on his feet, Ninten stepped away from him in disgust. His cuffs rattled round his wrists. "I don't know why I turned back for you. I thought this time, you might be...nevermind." Shrugging off his uncle's coat with a sudden vehemence, Ninten marched to the elevator. "I'm heading back-"

Something seized his arm. "You are going nowhere."

His nephew bristled. "Don't touch me."

"Ninten-"

"Don't." Venom dripped from his voice. "Don't you _ever _call me by my nickname."

"Cease this ridiculous behavior at once-"

"Let go."

"It takes two to make an argument. Therefore, tomorrow you will apologize to Fassad-"

"Let me go!"

"-and you will obey my instructions without fail-"

"I came back for you. You lied to me, but I wanted to believe. I wanted to believe that somewhere inside, there was a part of you that really cared for me. A part of you that could understand. I stood up for you...but who am I kidding? I'm only deluding myself." Ninten's shoulders shook. Anguish shone in his eyes. "I'm not Maria. I'm not my mom. Uncle, I wanted to trust you, but you don't even treat me like a real person. To you, I'm just a nobody, a useless nobody who isn't worth the dirt on your shoes and the time on your hands. So let's be honest with each other for once. I can handle the truth, can't I? Please, tell me. Giygas... what am I to you?"

Giygas fell silent.

"Uncle...do you have nothing to say?" Ninten's wavering voice was barely audible. "Am I really... that worthless to you?"

Uncomfortable, Giygas avoided his eyes. Not a single word was spoken.

With a weak smile, Ninten closed his eyes. "I thought so. Guess there's no point in pretending anymore...Thanks for being honest with me. You're the only adult who ever was..." Moisture leaked from the corners of his eyes, shattering against the floor of the dead battlefield. "Checkmate. I lost..."

Finally, without breaking his impassive composure, Giygas released his grip on Ninten's arm. His quiet steps retreated towards the open elevator. "Come. We will tour Moonside another time."

For an eternity, Ninten stayed, listless and unmoving. But hanging his head, he followed, dragging his feet along the rich red carpet.

Not another word was spoken in the elevator ride up.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The smell of sickness lingered on his tongue.

A frown creased Giygas's forehead. In the farthest corner of the moving elevator, Ninten's knees shook, knocking unsteadily against the wall. Giygas had suspected that his nephew was not as healthy as he had looked. He recalled the brief flashback of his nephew's feverish condition; if possible, Ninten looked even worse. His nephew must not have recovered fully from his mountain escapade.

His frown deepened. Giygas reached for his nephew's wrist, wanting to test his pulse. "Ken-"

Ninten recoiled, smacking the hand away. Throwing him the most venomous look he could muster, Ninten huddled as far as he could, pressing himself against the wall.

Giygas said nothing after that.

There was no need. Halfway up, Ninten had suddenly collapsed into an insensible heap against the elevator floor.

"You test my patience," Giygas grunted, then hoisted him up. His nephew was alarmingly light; he must not have eaten enough in the past week. A jolt of guilt pricked Giygas's mind before it vanished.

Tonight's events had clearly overexerted him; Ninten shivered, a thin film of sweat lining his forehead. His cheeks had sunken in, looking a sickly yellow from sleep deprivation. The signs had been so obvious that even a blind man could have seen it from a mile away.

Giygas's frown deepened.

How had his nephew's friends not noticed his failing health? Surely someone had to have said _something_ in Saturn Valley.

The answer came to him as clear as day. Ninten was a natural optimist. He had an innate way of subconsciously averting attention, particularly with anything concerning his health.

Of course, his nephew's huge pride would never have let him say otherwise.

**"One-hundredth floor."**

Giygas's gaze flickered down to the unconscious body in his arms. "We're here."

Ninten didn't respond.

Heaving a loud sigh, Giygas picked him up and slung him over his shoulder. A sharp rattle burst into Gigyas's ears; Ninten's cuffs had bumped against each other, the cold metal clacking like dead teeth. A low, ominous sound.

The dots clicked.

By repressing his PSI, Ninten had been unable to heal himself. The lack of food, water, and sleep had only battered his failing immune system, leaving Ninten weak and frail. In a bout of irony, Giygas realized that the world had granted his nephew his wish.

He was dying.

With a sharp intake of breath, Giygas shook his shoulders. "Ken."

Ninten's head rolled limply to the side.

A panic seized his mind like never before, and gripping the broken body to his chest, Giygas hurtled up the carpeted stairs. Countless doors he passed, but all he could think of was the sick boy lying limp in his arms-

With a flick of power, the bedroom door burst open. Without second thought, Giygas dropped his nephew onto the mattress and checked his pulse. Ninten's fingers wilted, turning an ashen gray from cold.

Giygas didn't understand this blind panic. He should be happy; the Needle Puller had escaped, but his nephew was no longer in the equation, was no longer able to thwart the plans Giygas had so carefully crafted over the years-

_**kiLL...**_

He was losing sight...he was losing _control-_

_**KiLL...**_

What was right? What wAs WroNG? I...feEL...gOOd...

**_KILL..._**

His nephew was down. This was the perfect chance. Sharpening his mind into a fine point, Giygas withdrew, ready to shatter the barrier of thoughts. This time, he would get rid of his nephew for good-

The tip of his probe barely grazed the outer shell of his mind when Ninten stirred, emitting a weak gasp of pain. Giygas froze, watching his nephew twist around in his sheets.

_Please, tell me. Giygas... what am I to you?_

With a sour face, Giygas straightened out the sheets, tucking them up to his nephew's chin. "You test my patience. How very much I dislike you."

**_KiLL HIM. Ki__LL tHe bOy._**

His fingers tightened. Underneath him, Ninten shuddered as a telekinetic noose wrapped around his throat-

With a sharp breath, Giygas released his fists. He snapped out of his reverie, backing away and nearly hitting his head against the wall. Unearthly howls exploded in his mind, snatching and ripping the nerves of his screaming limbs to shreds-

Bemused, Giygas touched his forehead. "Ouch."

**_KiLL KiLL KiLL-_**

"Silence," he hissed to himself, and the bloodthirsty voice instantly quieted down.

It was inevitable. Mani Mani would be back.

A cold feeling trickled up his spine. Fassad was right. If Giygas lost even a sliver of control, he could lose himself to insanity. The demon spirit wouldn't hesitate to kill the child in his hands.

Giygas clenched his teeth.

Focus.

Logic kept him grounded. Logic kept him sane.

As if handling porcelain, his fingers hovered uncertainly in mid-air. Despite his years of teaching, Giygas had never known how to handle children. Teens were even more of an enigma; they were fragile, yet hated admitting so. Classic idiots.

Raising a tentative finger, Giygas gave his nephew's cheek an experimental poke. Instantly, he retreated, recoiling as if Ninten were a fearsome Horsantula.

Nothing happened.

His nephew wasn't the only person with trust issues, it seemed.

"Look at you," Giygas spoke; his soft voice echoed in the lonely room. "Afraid of a mere child. You are pathetic, Giygas."

Ragged breaths dragged through pale lips; Ninten's face was turning blue. Deciding that he had no other choice, Giygas reluctantly leaned over. Trembling hands scoured his nephew's cheekbones, sliding upwards to dislodge the cap off his face.

At his touch, Ninten turned over. "Mom..." he said, weakly clawing at his sheets. "H-Help."

Giygas froze.

"M-Mom..."

"I am not your mother," Giygas said coolly, wiping his nephew's forehead with a wet towel. "But you will have an appointment with an optician first thing tomorrow morning."

"Mom..."

"Stop calling me your mother, foolish child."

"Mom..."

Giygas fell silent, watching his nephew shiver under the sheets. After a moment of hesitation, one hand slid onto his nephew's burning forehead.

"LifeUp."

A snap and crackle, then the healthy, refreshing scent of pine needles swirled into the winter air. With a quiet puff of steam, a sudden spike of warmth hit Ninten's face in a crimson flush, dissolving the impurities out of his blood.

"You are delirious," Giygas said, quietly drawing out a needle from the inside of his coat. At the sight of the sharp point, the muscles in his hand instinctively tensed, shaking at the sudden sight, but Giygas stilled it with a firm thought and pulled back Ninten's sleeve. Tilting his nephew's arm, he injected a mixture of synthesized antibiotics for a good measure. "Go to sleep. No harm will come your way."

Ninten said no more.

Applying a band-aid over the tiny prick of blood, Giygas tidied up, wrapping up his treatment. He flicked his wrist to pour a glass of water - not even a droplet escaped from the rim - then set it aside. As silent as a shadow, Giygas rose, hanging his nephew's baseball cap on Eve's chair, then chanced a glance back at the bedridden form. Ninten exhaled, then shifted onto his side.

The PSI had worked.

Giygas paused, one foot hovering over the threshold.

"Your calculus grade is atrocious. We will work on that later," Giygas said, then quietly shut the door.

And Ninten dreamed.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The Masked Man dreamed.

He dreamed of a woman. He dreamed of a woman with a kind smile, of a woman with long, silky hair and eyes the warm hue of ripe chestnuts. She perched on the edge of a sunflower field that stretched as far as the eye could see, her red dress splayed freely in the wind_._

Watching him.

A voice. A whisper.

Warm hands touched his cheeks.

_...Please...Open your eyes..._

Incomprehensible command. His vision was unclouded.

_Claus..._

He served his master. This woman was unimportant to his cause. The Masked Man closed his eyes, waiting for slumber to pass-

Something soft caught his arm.

His shoulders stiffened. The Masked Man turned back around. His eyes traced the unfamiliar curve of a hand on his wrist, and he lifted his gaze, trailing up the foreign arm to take in the face of his new assailant...

His mind jolted in realization.

It was the boy. The boy was back. Master Fassad wanted this boy, this special boy who could pull the magic Needles. This was his chance for a surprise attack. Without second thought, Masked Man seized the boy by the arm, then dragged him over, twisting the arm behind his back. Despite the strategic maneuver, the boy put up little resistance, giving in without a single struggle.

Mission accomplished.

The boy shifted closer. Cautious. Tentative. A shivery-soft hand cupped his cheek, and the Masked Man shook his head at the ticklish sensation.

"Claus..."

A chokehold. Of course. The Masked Man struggled, trying to shove the other boy away, but the younger of the two refused to budge.

The boy opened his mouth.

Then the Masked Man heard something. Something...not a command, not a word. Something that made his stomach twinge, an attack he couldn't grasp. It poured out of the boy's lips, trickling like water that burned and tickled something inside. It filled him up, filled his chest up where something was missing inside-

Agony tore through him.

Stop. It had to stop. Stop, stop, _STOP-_

The Masked Man threw a wild fist in his direction, but the other blocked it, trapping it within his own palms. Warm fingers eased the fist in those hands.

Without knowing why, something wet slid down his cheeks, and the Masked Man touched his own face with a free finger.

A tear. A rip.

Something missing.

Choking on the notes rolling off his tongue, the boy squeezed his hand.

Something new. Something old.

Familiar.

Tears were trickling down the boy's face. "Do you...remember me...?"

Master Fassad wanted this boy.

This boy...This very special boy...

A tear. A rip.

Trapping that face between his hands, the Masked Man roughly palmed those tears away. The boy sighed, then leaned into the touch. A strange attack. More tears leaked out of the corners of his closed eyes. The boy was hurting inside.

Unacceptable. Master Fassad wanted his property in perfect condition. The Masked Man would have to get rid of the hurt.

_Hurts._

_Where?_

_Hurts._

_Where does it hurt?_

The boy reached out, pressing his brother's cold palm against his chest. _Here,_ the boy said quietly.

It ticked, beat, pulsed under his fingers. The Masked Man clenched his hand, digging his nails into delicate skin. This..._thing_ was causing the boy hurt. He had to destroy it. Destroy it before it hurt the boy anymore-

**Ba-dump.**

Something new.

**Ba-dump.**

Something old.

**Ba-dump.**

Something missing.

Staring at the boy in disbelief, the Masked Man staggered back, clapping a hand over his own empty chest.

_What was missing?_

_What was missing?_

_What was..._

_What..._

_..._

_._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"More bourbon?"

"Please."

With a tinkle of glass, the happy bottle poured out gurgling wine, which sloshed against its confines. Giygas pressed the antique glass against his lips, and Fassad tutted, watching him down the full serving in one go.

"Another-?"

"No. Just one is enough."

Fassad frowned, setting the bottle down. "How is your headache?"

"Better, thank you. My nephew, on the other hand..."

"I take it that he isn't compliant to your wishes?"

Giygas pursed his lips. "A small complication in the grand scheme of things."

"Why bother? He's useless, darling. A total waste of your time. And honey, that won't do~❤"

"I can bend his will-"

"He's an unnecessary nuisance. A burden to our plans. The best he is is bait for his friends, and even so, a troublesome one at that~❤" Passing him a half-smile, Fassad traced the rim of his own glass with a stubby finger. "But not to worry, dear friend. I can take him out of your hands-"

"No."

"Oh, but _Giygas-"_ Fassad whined, sounding like a spoiled five-year old on Christmas Day. "Pretty please? I'll take good care of him, I promise! He'll stay indoors, he'll do all the dishes, and I'll train him not to rip up the carpet-"

"My nephew is my business. Do not stray your focus from the task at hand."

A knowing look had entered Fassad's eyes. With a slow grin, the Magypsy leaned over; the putrid smell of his banana breath lingered in the air. "You promised that nothing would get in our way," he whispered. "Be careful of breaking our deal. I'd hate to change my mind and have _two_ commanders under my care."

Giygas clenched his jaw.

With a titter, Fassad withdrew and fanned his own face. "Or at least that is what I _would_ say, if I were a heartless being like you. Ha-ha, dear~❤"

"I do not see any humor in your words," Giygas said dryly, pushing the empty glass away with slender fingers. His eyes flickered over to the silent silhouette in the corner. "You fetched me the wrong twin."

Fassad followed his gaze. His face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh, him? He's nothing, dear. Just a little souvenir for this lonely soul~❤!"

Giygas's eyes hardened. "This was not a part of our plans."

"Psshh, please! This won't change anything!" Fassad said, waving a hand. "I've always wanted a little company-"

"Let him go. He is not the one we want-"

"Hush, Giygas, dear. You have little experience in keeping hostages. Watch the expert at hand." Fassad clasped his fingers together. "Let me explain. The chips are all in place. Yes, I admit I failed. The Needle Puller escaped. All thanks to his idiot friend..." A flash of distaste twisted his features. "But we have the upper hand. I have very generously sent forth transportation to Saturn Valley. Call it an..._invitation_, if you will."

"Will it arrive on time?"

"Not important, darling. Either way, the Needle Puller will come to _us._ All we have to do now is wait. We wait for him to take the bait, then spring the trap. Voila~! Hook, line, and sinker. You see, dear? The Needle Puller is cornered. He will have to come here to pull the Seventh Needle, only to fall once again to his brother's hands." With a finger, Fassad wiped the happy tears from his eyes. "Ah, I can't wait~❤ The angst! The drama! The _cri de_ _cœur!_* Oh, the excitement is making me so giddy that I could scream~! And as for the others..." Fassad eyed his chipped nails in disgust. "It was _your_ call. ManiMani wanted to snuff them out in his own special way-"

Giygas stiffened. "I know what he said."

"Good~❤" Fassad said sweetly. "I'm just reminding you of the difficult road ahead. How long do you think you can keep your nephew alive? You stick all those needles into him, but if you ask me, you're wasting your time. Poor thing looks like he's simply lost the will to live..."

Giygas unconsciously gripped the stem of his glass. A jagged crack ran down its side. "He has not. He is stubborn. He will prevail-"

"When was the last time he's eaten anything? Walked around? A full week, Giygas. All he does now is sleep," Fassad said softly. "Face it, dear. He's dying, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."

A sharp crack. The scar on the glass widened.

"Oh, Giygas~!" Fassad tilted his head back to take a sip of bourbon, then smacked his lips at the bitter tang. "There's plenty of fish in the sea. Move on. That boy's a dead case, dear. So what if your nephew dislikes you? Your twin nieces can take his place-"

The glass exploded, shattering with a ear-spitting sound. As the sharp shards sliced the table, Giygas jerked back his hand and blinked at the broken stem in surprise. He rose, reaching for the scattered pieces. "My apologies, Fassad-"

"Oh, phooey, it's just an old wine glass! Went out of fashion in the 70s. No, sit down, sit down! I insist~" Fassad waved his concerns away with a careless flap of the wrist. After a moment of hesitation, Giygas lowered himself back into his chair. "What were we talking about...? Ah, yes, your nephew. Well, sweetheart, I don't understand. Pick and choose a better slave! In all honesty, he's just one boy out of ten million-"

"No," Giygas spoke, tossing away the broken glass stem. "I can save him. It won't be like last time."

Fassad paused, eyeing him with a small interest. "You don't say."

"I bear responsibility for his illness. If his health is failing...no, I will try. There is so much more to learn about him...and believe it or not..." Giygas's lips twitched up in a small smile. "I admit I have grown a little fond of him."

"Really?"

"He keeps me busy. My episodes are few and far in between. His presence, it seems, keeps me sane..."

"What are you trying to say, dear?"

"I wish to undo my actions."

Fassad jerked his head up. "What?!"

"My guilt turned me into someone I am not. I am in the wrong."

Appalled, Fassad slammed his palms on the table. "Giygas! What of our plans?! Eight years, Giygas, darling! Eight years of plotting, and you're going to let it all fall down the drain?!"

"Perhaps it is time to give up." Giygas lifted a hand over his eyes. "Forgive me."

"Of all the stars! To be betrayed! To be sentenced to a life without life, a death sentence hanging over my very heart and soul! My brothers and I sacrificed our lives to protect the human race, and this is how you repay me. ME, of the heavens above!" Fassad jabbed a finger in his direction. Fury rang from his eyes. "You dangle false hope into my face, then cruelly deprive me of the desires I deserve. To rule the world! To abolish it of its sins! To be infinite! Eternal happiness! Eternal glory! _Love-_"

"No matter what world we live in, there will always be an outcast in the shadow of disparity. Fassad, I was a fool. Do not seek for happiness where it does not exist. To cling too tightly onto the happiness of the past will only chase away the joys of the future." Giygas lowered his glass. Something like pity stirred in his eyes before it vanished, returning to their cool hue. "Fassad, as a friend and a fellow comrade...it is time to move on. Find happiness elsewhere-"

"Happiness, my word! You snatch my hopes away, then have the nerve to ask for _forgiveness?!" _Fassad laughed, tossing his gleaming hair over his shoulder. "Giygas...I am disappointed in you. I thought that you could be special. You had a chance to set yourself apart from the human race. The Chosen One! Bringer of Perpetual Peace! You could have been _great-"_

"Maria is gone. I cannot, and will not resurrect her. Eight years of tinkering have taught me that things do not always go to plan..." Giygas's twitched, as if the words cut his throat, but continued. "But there is something else I can do. _Time_ is unraveling. I thought it was just my perception, but it seems like _Time_ is now no longer constant. It speeds up in some places, and slows down in others. You have felt it, I'm sure."

Fassad bristled. "So what if I have?"

"You are a Magypsy. Guardian of the Human Race, Protector of the Seven Needles. The time has come. The existing world has been plunged into peril. Fassad, only you know of its whereabouts...help me. Where is the Seventh Needle?"

Fassad's features twisted into an ugly look. Without a word, he shoved the table aside, sending his glass skittering across the linoleum tiles. "How _dare _you - I can't believe my eyes. Your hypocrisy mocks me. Get out."

"Fassad-"

"Out, I say! No, you stay. I'll take my leave." Whirling on his heel, Fassad flung his finger and barked out a rapid order. With a flash of color, the Masked Man appeared at his side.

"Sir," he said quietly.

Fassad's face softened by a fraction. "You understand me."

The Masked Man said nothing.

_Clickety-clack_ punched his stilettos onto the tiles, then with a stumble, Fassad collapsed, sinking onto his knees like a dirty sinner. His perfect nails glistened like forgotten treasures, and seized with wild desperation, Fassad dug them deeper into the boy's black jacket. "Please tell me you do," he whispered, voice shaking. "You're all that I have left...!"

The Masked Man watched him with lifeless eyes.

"I don't understand. I _can't_ understand!" With a heartwrenching cry, Fassad tore at his hair. "It's not fair! After everything your brother's done to you...why do you still care for him? How do you find it in your heart to forgive? He lied to you. He hurt your feelings!" Shaking, Fassad clenched his teeth. "And Giygas...he's done unforgivable things, hasn't he? But his nephew...Even him..."

A gloved hand reached out. The Masked Man opened his palm. "Tissue."

Fassad fell silent. Taking a deep breath, he took the tissue, then dabbed it against his eyes. "No...I was wrong. You care for me. You'd do anything for me, because I'm a good person. I deserve better..." Like a vice, Fassad gripped the boy's cold hand. "Never betray me. As your master, you will obey my every command. You exist to serve one person, and that person is me. And if your brother tries to say otherwise..." A shadow crossed Fassad's face. "I want him bloody and bruised at my feet. Do you understand?"

The Masked Man dipped his head. "I am yours."

"Oh, darling. I knew you'd pull through!" With a girlish giggle, Fassad turned away with a clap of his hands. "Come, come. Let us leave our _wonderful mastermind_ to his mindless plotting~❤" The Magypsy threw a scathing look in Giygas's direction. "We must be ready to greet your precious little twin-"

His former business partner rose from the poker table. "Fassad, help me save this world. I cannot do it without you."

Fassad's pretty features hardened. His lips curled into a disgusted sneer.

**"Save it yourself."**

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Day Two. Or three. He lost track. An entire week could have passed by, and Ninten wouldn't have known.

The water felt cool against his face, washing away the groggy memories of the nights past. A glimmer of glass caught his eye. Resting his elbows against the sink, Ninten took a pause to catch his breath.

He looked into the mirror.

The first thing he noticed was how skinny (_so so skinny, so so ugly_) he'd grown. His ribs jutted out of his skin, more bone than flesh. The dark bags under his eyes lingered like bruises that refused to fade; his skin, a bloodless alabaster. He was more ghost than vampire, more dead than alive.

Yet, Ninten was sure of one thought:

Something had changed.

With a squeak of the faucet, Ninten turned the water off (_Ungrateful_ _ba__stard, die, die, die)_, and rubbed the droplets of water off his stinging cheeks _(Clean, clean, clean)._ Pressing the damp towel against his forehead, his fingers hesitated of their own accord.

Despite his _gung ho_ attitude against Fassad that fateful night, a part of Ninten was afraid of the Magypsy. He had seen what Fassad had been capable of, what Fassad _could be_ capable of. He remembered the look in Fassad's eyes, the hard smile on his lips. Hatred like never before coursed through his veins (_because he's right, and you don't want to admit it, do you?_). If it wasn't obvious that there was bad beef between them, it was now.

Then there was Giygas himself.

Ninten fisted the towel and pressed it roughly against his eyes. How much of Giygas was actually him? Was his uncle beyond saving? If the fragmented pieces of his dreams were anything to go by...Giygas had gotten possessed shortly after his grandmother's passing.

Eight years.

Giygas had been working on this project for _eight_ years. Eight years, alone, working for a cause nowhere near feasible. And Ninten could relate. There was something almost admirable about Giygas's persistence to save someone so precious to his heart.

Almost.

At his side, Eve whirred and clicked. A quiet chirp. **"Blood glucose low. Puffy eyes. Symptoms of sadness."**

"I'm not sad," Ninten muttered, hanging the towel back onto the rack. It slipped between the cracks, pooled around his ankles_ (because__Ican'tdoanythingright)_. "Go away."

Eve cocked her head. A strange sympathy lay in her eyes. Two clumsy hands reached out to pat Ninten on the back. **"Nyaaah?"**

This time, Ninten didn't push her away. With a low hum, Eve wrapped her arms around him, her metallic chest surprisingly gentle and warm. Gripping the sink with whitening fingers, Ninten closed his eyes.

If living was death, then what was the point of moving on?

_We care...because it's what gives our lives purpose._

Lucas was wrong. It hurt too much to care.

Ninten didn't want to care anymore.

**"Blood glucose low...low...low..."**

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Eat."

Ninten didn't want to eat.

Giygas tapped his fingers in a restless pattern. One, two, three, four. There was the clatter of another abandoned tray on a bedside cabinet. "We need to talk."

There it was. The serious, adult _we need to talk_ tone. It never implied anything good. Burying his head in his arms, Ninten curled up on the bed. There was nothing to talk about.

A rustle. Giygas had shifted in Eve's chair. "You refuse to eat. You refuse to drink. No matter what I do, you ignore me." He exhaled. "I give in. What can I do to make you listen?"

Ninten closed his eyes.

Giygas fell silent. When he spoke again, his voice sounded almost scared. "Tell me. I...I don't know..." A strange emotion seeped into his shaking voice. "I don't know enough to understand..."

Ninten pressed his hands over his ears.

A while later, a soft whisper of air tickled his face. Ninten cracked an eye open.

Giygas was gone.

* * *

***A passionate outcry or protest (Literal translation: Cry from the heart)**

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks for t****aking time out to read this story. This Author loves you. :)**

**P.S. I replaced**** Ninten's name with _Ken_ a couple of times in previous chapters. While Giygas should know his preferred nickname from school, it would be weird for Ninten's parents _not_ to address him by his actual name haha.**

**P.P.S. ****Ninten's mom is canonically called Carol in the Mother novel. Additionally, Ninten's father is also referred to as Papa.**

**I've finalized the outlines for the next four chapters. Starring characters (including and not limited to):**

**Chapter 34**: Giygas, etc.

**Chapter 35**: Flint, Ness's parents, Ninten's parents, Wess, etc.

**Chapter 36**: Jeff, Paula, Poo, Ana, Lloyd, Kumatora, etc. (might combine with chapter 35 if too short)

**Chapter 37**: Lucas, Ness, etc.

* * *

**Shimo no ko**: Hehe, get some sleep. You sound tired. :) But I'm glad you liked the cameos (Earthbound, real creative, right?). And GOSH DARN IT you asked a golden question! XD oh, man. How do I explain this...? **As for why the Seventh needle erased all adults off the planet in BuzzBuzz's time...it's one of the key questions that will be answered pretty much near the end of the fic.** XD So you will find out, and it will make sense then (hopefully), but *dons British accent* tis not the time. Nice eye for detail, though!

**Jkoopa**: Hey hey! :) Thanks for your enthusiasm; I appreciate it. :) AND OH MY GOD, haha, it's okay! We're all busy people, and I understand if reviewers don't have time to spare. I mean, YOU HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE FANFICTION! XD Don't feel obligated to leave reviews; I want you to enjoy the experience as much as I do! But yeah, my condolences to your brother; I hope he feels better now. :) And hehe we'll see about what happens to Lucas.** (Forgot to add sorry XD)** **BuzzBuzz is not Ninten in the actual game; it is just one of many popular fan theories.** So I figured, why not give it a shot? :)

**DarkFoxKit**: Hehe gurl, fanfic writers unite! *Pulls of cheesy pose* Ah, that makes sense. I was like, 'Who's Andy?" XD HmmMMmm...I dunno. Does Claus still have his heart? We may never know... ;D And awww thanks! The last scene was definitely one of my favorite to write (the perks of random inspiration at 4 in the morning lol), and I'm very glad the emotion got through. :) Speaking of Ninten, ayyyy here's a chapter with a whole lotta Ninten. XD

**JGameCartoonFan**: *Places band-aid on your heart* It's okay, everything's going to get worse. ;) And aaAAaah *head explodes* why thank you for giving my story a chance! High school AUs are as cliche as it gets (funny enough, I'm not really a fan of one either haha), but I'm glad that the emotion pulls through. :) And UGh I know, I wanted to cram more Ness and Lucas friendship fluff into the chapter, but this story has so. many. dang. characters. XD Don't worry; we'll definitely see those two soon!

**crabbyTomato**: WOW with a capital WOW. I'm dead. XD No, really. Thank you for such an insightful review on my story! It means a lot coming from a writer I look up to on this fandom. Cramming 32 chapters in one review is no small feat hahaha. Like...WOW. *Raises hands to the air* PRAISE THE LAWD-

But yeah, you're right! I realized many flaws about my earlier chapters (i.e. excessive use of adverbs, bore-whore sentences, disjointed word flow, annoying over-preference of dangling participles over full clauses, etc.), and I could go on and on. Whenever I find the time, I go back to edit the chapters a little at a time. :) It helps, especially in case I realize that there is a continuity error; this fic is an **evolving** **fic**, so I make tweaks based on the crit I receive (Was the character OoC? Is the plot becoming over-the-top complicated? PLEASE DON'T KILL OFF CHARACTER X (jk, I kid)). So yeah, believe it or not, **what you review might make a difference**.

And oh, please, I'm sure you'll write Fassad just fine. :) My Fassad just sounds like he's about to go to a strip bar. XD LOL I kid, but I hope his character depth increases with each chapter. And YES you pulled a Captain Falcon reference! :D Wait, my bad, I mean: *YES!*

**Plushiepaw**: Haha gurl, I'm updating slower and slower, so I know your pain. XD And yeah, sorry! To clarify; Lucas, Claus, and Ness weren't actually at BuzzBuzz's wedding. He was only thinking of them. :( And ahhHHH Claus's heart is dead; Fassad stabbed him through the chest with da cursed sword. So I guess it's sealed...? Like it's not beating or anything. Think of the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz. :( Double sorry for the confusion; Fassad just likes to make a lot of _heart_ metaphors lol. And AYYY brotherly fluff is best fluff. :) Don't worry, we'll see more of Lucas/Claus fluff in *checks*...chapter 35? Flint angst hooray

**Connor**: Yeah, you are on the George RR Martin side of things, all right. XD And thanks! I've actually written the conclusion...it's everything else lol. XD Hopefully I can wrap up this story in a nice bow like you said. *Cries* SHOW ME YOUR WAYS, CONNOR-! And whelp, you're right. My writing does tend to be super flowery (awk); I'm sure in ten months or so, I'll look back at this chapter, realize this, then think "OH MY GOD THIS IS AWFUL ASDGDDHFGJkl" But until then, I'm leaving that chapter as is. Forgive me. ;_; But...if I remember what _one-month-ago-me_ had been thinking during that scene, it was that the abstract writing was done on purpose in order to emphasize the emotional side of the conflict; it didn't really matter to me who punched whom, because the key point wasn't the details of the fight, but rather, on the feelings it evoked. I hope I kinda explained it right...? Haha idk anymore who am I kidding I need sleep XD

**I'mSolidSnaek**: AYYYY Look who got a name change! XD Yep, no worries, the cavalry will come soon (lol cavalry. dat history nerd is shining right out of you). And thanks! I've gotten mixed reviews about the Ness v Claus fight, but hey, if it made you happy, then I'm happy too. :) And LOL true! *Returns to erase like a thousand dots* I GOTCHU! :D Yeah, I really hope I do Fassad justice. In my original plot, Ionia was supposed to have taken his place, but for several reasons, I ended up letting Fassad replace her. Him. It? No, not it.

Also, to clarify, I always did think that the world that Ninten left behind faded into nonexistence, so Ana, Teddy, and Lloyd did end up "dying"...then again, you could make the "alternate timeline" argument. But yeah, it's deliberately left vague because it's not the focus of the story; the reader can think whatever he/she wants. :) **As for the importance of the Eight Melodies...it was used briefly in Chapter 31 by Eve to send Ninten to sleep, but yeah, keep an eye out for the Sound Stone! It will definitely have some importance in the story**. And as for Ninten in the presence of ManiMani...we'll see what happens. ;) And lol your 3 PM description; I will definitely take the time to read through it again, because I think half of it went over my head XD FISSION MAILED

**averyshortname**: Hehe thank you. :) I KNOW Ugh. I had to read up articles on wikipedia on time loops/paradox/travel because I was unfamiliar with teh concept. But yeah, no time loop. Sorry. :( And why no bad ending? idunno. Well, this story could end on a bad ending. ;)

**decco6226**: Oh, wow. XD I think this is the first time anyone has called me a _comedy wizard_ lmao. Usually, it's _scary_ or _cutthroat _lol. Maybe it's because I sit in the front row of every class fml. But yeah, thank you very much. :D

**Guest**: *Raises hands to the air* PRAAAISE. All kidding aside, thank you very much! I like tearing my reader's feels apart. :D I finally have a purpose in life hehe


	34. Memory of Life

_George the Tinkerer. __George the Toymaker._

_This was the name of my foster father. _

_Nearsighted and stout, George was a man with a burning curiosity unmatched by any other. Word of Mouth said that Toymaker George __could make something out of nothing. He possessed a magic of his own, a magic that could coax out the inner child out of anyone. I quickly grew to realize that __George was loved by all townsfolk and was an especially fond figure to the children. Wide-eyed with awe, little girls and boys would prance across the streets, eagerly pressing their faces against his window to watch him at work._

_I was ten when I was adopted. An age too old to be charmed by trinkets and toys._

_"Drink."_

_An age too young to understand manipulation._

_"Gregory...please?"_

_Not this time. I was fifteen years of age now, a growing adult, no longer a mere ten-year-old child. Academia was becoming rigorous, and keeping up my standing in class was essential. There was too much at stake. I could not afford to get distracted. I barely batted an eyelid against George's pleas and ignored him, brushing aside his hand to read my textbook._

_"Just one more drink-"_

_"My skin turned green."_

_"You can heal yourself! You have an extraordinary gift. An amazing power. We shouldn't let it go to waste-"_

_I absentmindedly flipped over a page. "Five years of accidents."_

_George fidgeted at my side. "What are you trying to say?"_

_"I am your lab rat. You don't care about me. All you are interested in are my powers." Mendel's law. What was Mendel's law? I could not remember. George was distracting me. With a frown, I flicked to the Biology textbook to the appropriate chapter. Ah, there it was. Page 173-_

_"Nonsense, my boy. Of course, I care for you-"_

_He didn't seem to get the hint, so I answered for him. __"No, you don't love me. You love Maria. You only adopted me because Maria wouldn't hear otherwise. And that's all right. __I will study hard. I will go to a college far away, away from you...and away from Maria. I will leave you alone, and in turn, you will do the same." Irked that I had lost my train of thought, I picked up my pencil. "You are disturbing me. Please leave."_

_George jerked up in his seat. From the corner of my mind, I sensed his unease. _

_I smiled. __Of course he was uneasy. I was always right._

_"Your__ psychic powers are tampering with your mind. All this study, study, study...it's not helping your paranoia. Take a break!" George said enthusiastically. I don't know why he kept on insisting. He was fighting a losing war. "T__his is all a huge misunderstanding. I don't mind what college you plan to attend, son-"_

_"Don't call me son."_

_"-but it is important to keep your illness into consideration. Gregory, your heath concerns me! You might be better suited to a college close to home."_

_"You say that my powers are the root of my illness-"_

_"It's not normal. I want you to be happy."_

_"George...am I really ill?" I met his eyes. "Or are you afraid of losing your little experiment?"_

_George's smile froze on his face. I see it tightening around the corners, and know that I have crossed a line. Shortly afterwards, my suspicions were confirmed when his old, cracked nails dig into my shoulders. "Now, Greg, house rules. No telepathy."_

_"I wasn't reading your mind."_

_"Of course, you weren't, my boy." Lifting his hands towards a dusty wooden shelf, George wound up a music box. With a scrape and a groan, its old pipes began to wheeze out a hazy melody. __**London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down... **__"One more. Just one more drink-"_

_"No more needles. No more drinks."_

_"Son, the experiments are for your own good. We stop all this...psychic business. It's unnatural. You are ill, my boy, very ill." Tinker, tinker. George replaced a screw inside the music box. He shut the lid. "My poor wife would worry if she knew of your terrible ailment..." __I had frozen in shock. I hadn't realized how tightly my fingers were clenching down on my shaking pencil, and with his gentle, kind hands, George slowly slid the pencil out from between my fingers. "But we won't tell her. We wouldn't want your mother to worry, would we?"_

_The choked whisper was out before I could stop it. "Don't tell her-"_

**_-falling down, falling down, falling down..._**

_"One more drink. Please, son." George repeated, squeezing my hand in concern. "You know I do this for you. We shouldn't let Maria worry.__"_

_**London bridge is falling down...**_

_George's eyes crinkled at the edges. "Good boy."_

**_My Fair Lady._**

* * *

"You should not be here."

"I snuck past the nurses."

"This room is quarantined..."

"Worry not, Ma. I am immune."

His grandmother slowly turned her head over. Maria's frail fingers caressed the back of his hand, and Giygas clutched them like a lifeline. It is just the two of them now, the two of them in this still, dreadful hospital room.

"F-Forgive me..." She whispered. "What George had done to you was unforgivable. I should never have left you home alone with him for all those years...He told me about experimenting on your powers...a-and I don't believe it. My son. He abused my sweet, darling son..." Tears coated her eyelashes like morning dew. "I don't deserve to be called a mother..."

"You are always a mother to me," Giygas insisted loudly, fearful that she would not hear him. He gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. "Ma, you were wonderful. Thank you for taking me in. Thank you for giving me a place to call home. Please, quell your worries. Soon, you will be well, and we will go to the aquarium to watch the penguins play. We'll buy you your favorite strawberry tofu, the one we bought for your birthday-"

"I don't think I will live to see the end of this week..."

"Don't give in, Ma. You never know."

Maria interrupted him with a terrible wheeze, a sound that rippled erratic echoes against the flickering lights. Her asthmatic lungs protested, cracking her voice into a hacking cough. "Perhaps your powers have finally rubbed off on me...but it is a feeling I have. Please, don't plan anything for me..."

Giygas closed his mouth. There was nothing he could say.

She sighed, then closed her eyes. "I have lived a long life. My time is long gone."

"No. Wait. I-I have a plan-"

"Oh, Gregory...Sweet, darling Greg." Mami laughed gently, and the sound melted away all of his worries for that magical moment. Giygas squeezed her hand tightly in his, wishing that he could forever remember every one of her laughs and press them close against his ear. "I remember how you'd get so caught up in those plans of yours...Why, we had make your sister drag you to bed because you'd stay up all night tinkering on some project or another in the dead of night. And look at you now. All grown up with a job..."

Giygas quietly tucked the bedcovers up to her chin. "You won't have to remember now, because you _will_ live to remember those memories. You will be whole and well-" He froze in mid-sentence, feeling something soft against his cheek.

With a sad smile, Maria stroked her thumb across his face, smoothing out its lines. "I regret so many things in my life..." she whispered. "But adopting you was never one."

His eyes began to sting, and Giygas closed them. He did not want Ma to see him so uncomposed.

As if reading his mind, Maria clasped her hand over his. A reassuring squeeze. "No matter what age you are, you will always be but a darling child to me. _My_ darling child. The same brave boy I met back in the orphanage, waiting for his parents to return..."

"S-Stop it... Ma, you're embarrassing me-"

"-the same brave boy who could recite the first page of _Jane Eyre_ in class from memory...the very same brave boy who hated hearing my lullabies-"

"I don't hate your lullabies."

"Don't give me that, young whippersnapper. I can see through your pokerface. Would you rather I spend my last moments singing a melody for you?" Maria cracked a toothy grin at the panicked grimace on his face. "I thought so. You never liked music too much. Your real mother had been a music teacher after all-"

"No! No, Mami, I don't mind-!"

"Yes, you do, silly. I can read you like a book."

"Your lullabies are perfect," Giygas insisted. Hesitant, he brushed back the hair back from her forehead, then stiffly pressed his lips against her forehead.

"Yet, you are as awkward as you were on the day I adopted you..."

"Ah. I don't know." Giygas flushed a beet red, then turned away, muttering something under his breath. "Only around you..."

"Giygas. Look at me." Maria's hand gently dug into the dips of his cheeks, and reluctantly, Giygas looked up. Maria's eyes were blinking rapidly now in earnest, seeking and searching his face for something he could not see. "It hurts. Every time I breathe, every time I talk or eat...it hurts. I want...no more. No more painkillers. No more treatments..."

Nodding furiously to hide his emotions, Giygas jumped to his feet. "You can be discharged soon. I can use my PSI-"

"I want to sleep."

"I can call for the nurse-"

"No. I want to pass on."

The pin dropped. Giygas felt his own eyes widen in shock. His hands dangled against his sides, unable to voice the implication behind her words. "You can't mean-"

"Yes."

"No! You can't! You _can't!_ You have to live-!"

"To do what?" she said softly. "I was able to watch you and your sister grow. I watched you grow into someone remarkable, and now... I can die happy, dear. There is no other purpose left for me to live."

"There is!" He was growing desperate, and she knew it. "You'll always have a place in my life. Always."

Mami's eyes shone with a film of moisture. Her voice was barely audible. "I am growing old, Giygas. I can't sing, stand, or walk...or even run like I used to. I will only become a burden to our family..."

"Ma, how could you say such a thing?" he choked. "I need you! You can't leave..."

"Do not waste your life away for me. I'm so weak, so frail..." Another shuddering breath. "You were always like a son to me...Giygas, is it now? Giygas...a unique name. I like the sound of that name. It's a name that will go on to do great things..."

"I was a carrier..._I _should have taken your place..."

"I wouldn't say that now. It was bound to happen sooner or later." Maria swatted his thigh with a mischievous grin. "Mrs. Frail Genes here, laddie!"

Giygas buried his head into his hands.

Maria's eyes softened. "Hush, dear. Wipe those tears away. Your old granny isn't dead just yet."

Pursing his lips together, Giygas nodded, clasping her hands tighter in his. Mother Maria's skin was frighteningly fragile, wrinkled over the edges like a crisp bedsheet worn over the years. How many times had those soft hands lifted the pages of countless bedtime stories? How many times had her hand, gentle and soothing, caressed his hair with the fragrance of warm linen sheets? She had taken him in, _him_, a member not of her blood and kin, yet treated him like one. She had done so much for him.

_Mother..._

But Giygas can cure her. Even if the disease was resistant, Giygas had to pull through. Giygas _had_ to cure her.

So he whispered one word.

One word he will come to regret forever.

"LifeUp."

...

...

...

...

...

**12:01 AM.**

The time of her passing.

_Violent seizure_, they said.

_Painful_, they said.

This woman...this woman that he had come to know as his beloved mother...

Had died a painful death.

Shock. Disbelief.

Giygas's knees gave way without a single sound.

_The disease didn't kill her..._

_I did._

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It was a hopeless cause.

Needle after needle Giygas poked into his nephew's unresisting arm, injecting his bloodstream with serums of every choice and color to keep the rising fever at bay, and with each passing day, Ninten grew even weaker, his skin growing a translucent pale with stress and strain. The deadly illness ailing his nephew was one Giygas could not understand. It was almost as if Ninten's fighting spirit had dissolved overnight, and Giygas was losing his nephew, losing his nephew through the slips and cracks of his fingers.

Once more, Giygas was losing a war against time.

One that he had lost before.

Slouching over with his head in his hands, Giygas sank back into his chair. "Tell me. I...I don't know. I don't know enough to understand..."

_I don't know enough to understand._

Like a shockwave, the words triggered a sudden awareness in his mind. His feet leaped out of the chair on their own accord, and passing a curt word to Eve to keep an eye the bedridden boy, Giygas hurtled down the stairs.

That was it. He didn't know enough to understand.

With a flurry of a cloak, Giygas stepped under the high-hanging arch of the Ninety-ninth floor. Tall, Roman pillars towered over him, carved with the intricate, ornate lettering of Latin symbols.** _Scientia Potentia est._**

Seized by an alien energy, Giygas dragged a reference book over and dumped it onto the dusty information desk littered with cobwebs. Blowing the dust out of his face, he squinted, flipping through the pages of a guidebook.

"R...S...T...Tad...Taser..." His finger paused. "Teenager. See _Adolescent._ Nonfiction. Section A1042. Shelf Y."

Giygas hesitated.

How did one care for teens? As an adopted child under Maria and George's care, Giygas had never gotten the..._normal_ teenage experience. Giygas didn't even remember his teenage years too well.

Teens weren't children. Teens weren't adults either. They were something in between, insufferable brats who thought that they owned the entire world.

Stupid. Deluded.

What a pathetic demographic.

Piling an armful of textbooks in his arms, Giygas dropped himself into an stranded desk, and frowned through his glasses. It was time to set aside all previous prejudices and wipe the slate clean.

He will educate himself.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

It felt terrible to be alive.

Ninten's throat burned. His bones cried out in agony, cracking every time Ninten lifted them. He had been stuck with so many needles that he no longer registered the pain, the dull throbbing mere pricks in the overwhelming wave of agony. He might have cried out once, twice, opened his mouth to let out a whimper or two, but nary a whisper escaped from his dry lips.

Thirst seared his tongue dry.

Sensing little reason to be awake, Ninten wrapped the sheets around his shoulders, then closed his eyes.

Barely any time seemed to have passed when the bedroom door burst open. Despite himself, Ninten cracked open his eyes. A figure hovered over him; Giygas swam in his vision, a determined look shining in his eyes. The man's cheeks were flushed, his clothes disheveled as if he had gone through a RAVE party.

"After extensive research on teenage behavior, I think I have figured it out," his uncle spoke, hurling himself into Eve's chair. He rapidly flipped through his handwritten notes. Several of them fluttered out of his clumsy hands, scattering onto the ground in a flurry of minuscule handwriting. "I made a list of hypotheses about the sudden cause of your depression."

_...What?_

"You are...upset...because you feel misunderstood." Pleased, Giygas looked up, but when Ninten stared off into space without even twitching a finger, his face fell. With a low mutter, Giygas scratched the line out in ink. "No, fool. Wrong, wrong, wrong..." Giygas peered into another page. "Suicidal. You are suicidal."

At Ninten's steady lack of emotion, Giygas went down the list. On and on he went. One by one, Giygas scratched out his hypotheses with increasing persistence. Fifty-five. Fifty-six.

Fifty-seven.

"You doubt your self-worth."

Ninten stiffened, but the slight motion failed to escape from Giygas's astute eye. His uncle straightened his back, filled with renewed vigor. "You doubt your self-worth because...because..." Giygas flipped over the page. "You fear heights."

A snort escaped from the bed, and Ninten rolled away. "You're impossible."

Giygas narrowed his eyes. He adjusted his glasses. "You...don't fear heights?"

"No."

"Hmm." Giygas peered into his notes with a frown. "I admit I suffer from slight acrophobia."

At this, Ninten couldn't resist a weak laugh. "We're on the hundredth floor."

"It is a strange feeling, to fall from the top of the world..." Even so, Giygas was unable to resist a shudder, and forced himself to take a calming sip of tea from his mug. Giygas snatched another page of his notes. "Hypothesis fifty-nine. You...You doubt your self-worth because..." Giygas squinted into the page. "A coffee stain. I cannot decipher my handwriting. Next-"

"Giygas, you're not going anywhere with this, " Ninten finally said, taking pity on him. "Just give up-"

"Your family."

Suddenly, Ninten had trouble breathing. He stared at his hands, focusing on trying to inhale the air that felt so heavy on his lips.

Caught by the sudden silence, Giygas looked up. He studied his nephew's face with an unnerving intensity. "You are upset, because of your family. I am family..." An unreadable expression flickered in his eyes. "You are upset, because I hit you," he said quietly. "Am I right?"

Ninten's eyes turned dull.

Giygas shifted in his seat. "I see."

"It's okay." _**Not really.**_

"Sometimes...my mind gets too self-absorbed in my planning, and I do not take the feelings of others into consideration. I believe it is an egotistical belief. That I believe anything I think is right, and that I can make anything right. But that is not my concern. The way you looked at me..." Giygas's eyes flickered to his. "It was not the first time."

"That's none of your business-"

"Your father hits you."

Ninten exhaled. "Not really," he muttered, turning his head away. "We had an argument at the beginning of school...over your detention. He slapped me for the first time." Ninten's fingers rubbed over the phantom bruise. "When mom found out, she got really mad. He didn't mean it. He apologized-"

"Unforgivable." Giygas's eyes burned with a cold fire. "How often?"

Ninten clamped his jaw shut.

"Ken-"

"It was just one time, okay?!" Ninten burst out, looking at him with angry eyes. "Stop looking at me like I'm broken, because I'm not! It's not like he abuses me! He apologized, he didn't mean it, and I screwed up." Ninten's shoulder shook from the force of his outburst. "He didn't mean to...he just kind of lost c-control-" Unsteady hands gripped the sheets. "He gets so worried about my health...and I hate it. I can walk, and talk, and do everything else...just like everyone else. I'm not disabled. I'm not crippled. I'm f-f-fine..."

"Stop crying," Giygas suddenly said, and Ninten jerked his tearstained face up in shock. His uncle's tone was as cold as ever. A deep frown creased Giygas's forehead. "You waste your time worrying over the most trivial matters in life. Ridiculous. You are weak-"

Feeling his uncle's disgust sear his skin, Ninten shrank back-

"-only because you think you are." Giygas pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "And you are not. Not weak. You will not be weak, because I will teach you how to be strong. How to keep a strong mind." Giygas glared at him. "But it will take effort. I will see what I can do, but you get what you put into it."

Ninten stared at him. A raspy whisper escaped from his lips. "I want to be strong..."

Fatigue seeped into his bones. Eyes fluttering shut, Ninten slipped away, exhausted and spent in the arms that held him.

The warmth of Giygas's hand lingered on his hair.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The road to recovery was not easy.

The one week hunger strike had robbed Ninten's body of endurance. Even the smallest task was a large struggle. Walking to the bathroom? One trip was enough to leave him out of breath. Eating? Even harder. He could barely lift a spoon several times without cramping up. If Giygas wanted to pick on him, the teacher would've had a happy field day on his hands.

But to his surprise, Giygas did nothing of the sort.

Giygas never pointed anything out, yet at the same time, seldom offered any help at all. Unlike his father, who was neurotic about his health, his uncle treated Ninten more or less the same, and did no more than was needed.

For this, Ninten was grateful. The last thing Ninten wanted was pity for his condition, and Giygas's indifference made it a little bit easier to bear.

"Tilt your head."

Propped up in bed against the pillows, Ninten winced, but did as was told - it was difficult to protest with a fat tube stuck up his nose - then balanced himself by resting a hand on his uncle's arm. The feeding tube poked the back of his throat, and triggered by discomfort, Ninten recoiled, jerking his head back-

"Swallow. It should repress your gag reflex."

When the feeding tube poked the back of his throat again, Ninten flinched, instinctively tightening his grip on Giygas's wrist.

Giygas paused. "Keep swallowing." He resumed inserting the tube up with careful hands.

Once the tube had been properly placed, Giygas snapped his fingers. "Tape."

Ninten obliged, handing over the white roll.

Tearing a thin strip of the adhesive off, Giygas pressed the tube to his nephew's cheek. Light fingertips touched the tape to the end of the tube, and for a second, Giygas paused.

Oblivious to his uncle's sudden silence, Ninten poked the tube with his tongue. "I thought you studied archaeology."

"I did."

"Then when did you learn all this medical stuff?"

"I had to learn many things when your great grandmother fell sick," Giygas said quietly.

Right. Maria had passed away from Swine Flu. Ninten wondered how often Giygas had gone to visit her. Everyday, probably. Ninten wouldn't have been surprised.

Ninten shifted in his sheets. "...Oh."

An awkward silence filled the air.

Giygas experimentally wiggled the feeding tube. "This is a temporary measure until you regain sufficient strength. Until then, you are at high risk for aspiration."

"High risk for aspiration?"

"With your history of asthma, I would advise you to sleep with an oxygen mask." Giygas raised a plastic device connected to the IV pole, and Ninten eyed it warily. "Relax. It won't hurt."

"I'm not worried," Ninten muttered, falling back onto the bed. "I've worn these things before."

Giygas adjusted the straps, lifting them to Ninten's face. Their eyes met. "I'm fitting the mask on," Giygas said quietly. "Would you like me to stay here until you fall sleep?"

A tired shake of the head.

Hands and shadows filled Ninten's vision. The oxygen mask descended, looming over his face...

Ninten closed his eyes.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_"What the heck."_

_"What?"_

_"Ninten, I asked you to order a burger,_ _not the entire house!"_

_"Hey, I told you I'd pay for it. Here, take everything."_

_"You're not eating?"_

_"__Yeah. I don't really feel like it."_

_"Why did you order two Happy Happy combos then? I just had dinner at home!"_

_"Second dinner then. And give one to Lucas. You said he liked fries-"_

_"Ninten. I'm not poor."_

_"I know."_

_His expression hardening, Claus shoved the tray aside. "I don't take charity-"_

_"Claus, eat the stupid burger!"_

_"Then why aren't you eating?!"_

_"Because...Because I had a big meal at home! I'm stuffed! Do you really want me to explode from overeating?!"_

_Claus snorted, then shot him a crooked finger. "Like that'd ever happen. Look, you always ramble on and on about food, but it's kinda odd now that I think about it. I've never actually seen you_ _eat real food, and whenever you do, it's not even a lot-"_

_"I eat-!"_

_"Oreos."_

_Ninten smacked him in the shoulder. "Shut up, Claus. If you don't take the extra meal, I'm just going to throw it away. My dad's already been on my case for eating junk food."_

_Claus tensed. "Then why do we keep driving over here?"_

_"Because I like Frank's place. And I really don't care."_

_"Rebellious much?"_

_"Speak for yourself."_

_Claus cocked his head, then gave a wide grin. "You know, when I first met you, I thought you were this really annoying kid."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"And...now?"_

_"Now? I think you're as irritating as fuck."_

_Ninten burst out laughing. "You're mean!"_

_Claus quirked an eyebrow. "Took you this long to figure that out?"_

_Ninten crossed his arms with a sniff. "You're just jealous that I'm too cool for you-"_

_"As if."_

_"__Fine. Be that way." Ninten pretended to sulk. "It wouldn't kill you to be nice to me every once in a while."_

_Claus gave a grunt. "Thanks for the food."_

_"Whatcha say?" Ninten asked, pressing a hand to his ear in a sing-song. "I didn't hear you-!"_

_"Shut up, Ninten." _

_Ninten cracked up, clutching his sides. "You're so easy to tease," he said, poking Claus in the arm. "As soon as I say something, you're all up on my case-"_

_"Can it, lawyerboy." Claus lowered his head to glare at the table. "Ninten, I'm serious. I've seen Lucas miss meals often whenever he gets nervous. I can tell when you're not eating, and it's seriously starting to worry me."_

_Ninten turned a shade of beet red. "You...what?"_

_"I'm worried, okay?!" Claus snapped, looking him in the eye. "What, am I always in a pissy mood to you?!"_

_"No! I mean, it's just..." Ninten swallowed hard. "I didn't think anyone would've noticed."_

_Claus rolled his eyes, then leaned over, resting a hand atop of Ninten's head. "Let me get this straight. First off, Ninten...you're an idiot."_

_"Thanks."_

_"Second, shut up. Just...shut up for a second."_

_"Okay."_

_"What did I say?"_

_Ninten shut up._

_"And three," Claus continued. "Stop sounding emo. That's my role, not yours. You're too happy and optimistic to be all jaded and...and stuff. Leave all the gritty business to me, okay? If anything is bothering you, let me know. Because, you know. I know what it's like to have a brother, and-" Claus suddenly feigned interest for the table. "You're not such an annoying guy."_

_Ninten gaped. This was a HUGE monumental moment. __**Not such an annoying guy** was basically Claus-speak for **I think you're cool.**_

_Claus thought that HE was COOL._

_"Wow. __Uh, so..." Ninten hopefully raised his arms. "Is this the part where we get all sappy and hug each other?"_

_"No," Claus said flatly. "This is the part where I punch you for being an idiot."_

_"...Oh."_

_"Yeah. YEAH! So you'd better not keep everything to yourself, or I'll get super mad! No, I_ **am**_ mad at you, idiot!_"_ In his rant, Claus had accidentally crushed a pack of fries in his hand without noticing. His face was flushed the darkest red Ninten had ever seen. "Ninten, what the hell?! Why didn't you tell me about all this?! I don't- nevermind. I get it. It's just...don't hide this kind of stuff from me, all right? Lucas always does, but you're not supposed to be- you're supposed to...and...and I don't think I could handle that. I thought we were..." __Claus furiously buried his face into a messy wad of napkins. "Fuck! I mean, I don't know...I thought we were best friends...?!" __Several more napkins fell from his fingers. Claus was clearly mortified. "I actually care about you, okay?"_

_A hot spike of blood rushed into Ninten's cheeks._ For someone whose actions spoke louder than words, Claus was incredibly shy of actually_ talking _about his feelings. In fact, ___Claus might have just poured out his heart onto the table. __No - scratch that - Claus_ had_ poured out his heart onto the table, and__ Ninten knew how difficult it must have been for Claus to do so. _

_F__or the first time a__fter all those years of guarding his heart, Claus was finally opening up._

_Claus **trusted** him._

_A hint of a grin curved up Ninten's lips. "Thanks, Claus. You're the best."_

_Mumbling incoherently to himself, Claus stuffed his face into a burger. _

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ninten suddenly awoke in the middle of the night.

His hands flew up to his throat, afraid that lack of air had woken him up, but the quick influx of shallow breaths said otherwise. Holding his breath, Ninten gripped his sheets tightly, then strained his ears for any other ominous sounds coming from the hallway.

Nothing.

Eve's chair gave off a warm red glow, washing pulses of color across the floor. Pouring himself a glass of water, Ninten tried to calm himself down. The cup shook in his shaking hands. Slow, steady sips. As if on cue, his sixth sense soon kicked in, tingling on his mind.

The danger had passed.

Heart hammering in his chest, Ninten turned around and peered through the gloom with squinted eyes. The closed door loomed over him in the darkness, somehow looking more nightmarish than before. Tossing the covers over his head, he scrunched his eyes and hugged the pillow tightly against his chest.

Ninten got no sleep for the rest of that night.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Tired?"

_I miss Claus. I miss school, _was what Ninten had wanted to say in response, but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth.

"Yeah," Ninten mumbled instead, rubbing his eyes. "I woke up to someone screaming last night-"

"I was unaware of anyone screaming."

Ninten finally snapped wide awake. "Really?" Puzzled, Ninten scratched his head. "But I swore I heard a scream..."

"I assure you, I did not sense any disturbance." Giygas's eyes flickered to the left. "Perhaps you were right. I forgot to inform you, but roach infestation is a serious issue on this floor."

_...What?_

"Last night, I was exterminating any pests that may serve as a hazard to our health."

"You were up...committing cockroach genocide."

"Yes," Giygas said carefully. "Cockroaches scream loudly when they die."

Disturbed, Ninten narrowed his eyes. "Really?"

"You should know. Some telepaths are powerful enough to converse with insects."

"Oh. Well." Ninten tried to keep a straight face. "I didn't know cockroaches screamed _OW, __MY FACE!_ when they died-"

"Intelligent pests are well-versed in the diction of human expletives."

Suspicion prickling his skin, Ninten snapped his gaze towards him, but Giygas remained as impassive as ever. Ninten wasn't stupid - he could add two and two together. Something had definitely happened during the night, but whatever it was, Ninten knew that he wasn't going to get any answers now.

Ninten gave up his interrogation, and Giygas said nothing more about the matter.

The entire morning passed without question.

Much to Ninten's relief, Giygas quickly put him off the feeding tube that evening, deeming him ready to eat solid food. As quoted by Giygas's own words, _it would be a shame if you died without witnessing what I have in store for you._

Reassuring words.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're actually _enjoying_ yourself?" Ninten muttered, rubbing his relieved nose of the strange sensation. _Thank god_ he had nothing stuck up his nose any more.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Giygas said airily, then discarded the feeding tube with care.

Everything made sense when Giygas stopped by again that same evening, bringing over some familiar objects in hand. He had the look on his face - the _stern_ _teacher_ look, and with a wave of his hand, a hefty pile of textbooks dropped onto the bed by his feet.

In all honesty, Ninten should've seen it coming.

Ninten's stomach dropped to the bottom of the floor. "No!"

"You are paying the consequences of skipping school."

Ninten groaned, slumping against the bedpost. "You can't be serious-"

"I told you to return home. You didn't listen. Now you must suffer the wrath of secondary school education."

"But that's not fair-"

"Cease your whining!" Giygas snapped, flicking open the Calculus textbook with his finger. "You missed a whole week of school. Of _my_ lessons. How dare you treat math with such frivolity!"

"You missed school too!"

"I hired a substitute teacher." Giygas waved his hand. A perfect illusion of a portly man with a bowler hat flickered into view. The illusion blinked with polite surprise, then bumbled over to Ninten in an absentminded manner before disappearing with a bow. "Additionally, if you recall, you and your friends demolished my classroom-"

"YOU TRIED TO SEDATE US!"

"-most soundly before your departure," Giygas continued, as if he hadn't heard him. "In the meantime, I have also kept tabs on your classmates from the research facility after their escape. The Starmen have been monitoring their health-" Ninten stiffened. Giygas quirked an eyebrow. "Your classmates have returned to the city without any harm." Ninten's breathing eased. "Until they expose me, as far as the authorities are aware, I am also an..._unfortunate_ victim of the deadly kidnapping spree. Despite this, I have not neglected my teaching duties. You, on the other hand-"

"I get the point!" Ninten said, exasperated, then shoved the _Geometry_ textbook away with his foot.

"We have plenty of time to wait before Ness and Lucas arrive, so I suggest that we make a daily schedule. Logic and routine will bolster your mind." Giygas handed a sheet over. "I have created a sample template for you to create your own schedule. Of course, I highly encourage you to follow the schedule I have laid out for you. It was meticulously prepared, so if you wish to copy it down word for word, feel free to do so."

Ninten stared down at the sheet.

**Breakfast. 8:00-8:30.**

**Math. 8:30-12:00.**

**Lunch. 12:00-12:30.**

**Math. 12:30-17:30.**

**Dinner. 17:30-18:00.**

**Math Review. 18:00-19:30.**

**Bedtime. 19:30.**

"When am I going to use the bathroom?" Ninten said flatly.

Giygas paused, then snatched the paper back with a scribble. "I suppose we could reduce your eating time-"

"Gee, I wonder why I don't have time for the bathroom...WHEN YOU SCHEDULED TEN HOURS OF MATH." Ninten jabbed at the blocked out time. "And why is my bedtime at seven-thirty?!"

"Teens need ten hours of sleep. I gave you at least twelve. You could use the extra rest. Your body is physically drained because it can no longer rely on your PSI for extra energy, which means that your extra energy stores come exclusively from your body fat..." Giygas eyed Ninten's skinny torso in distaste. "Or lack thereof."

Ninten buried his head into his hands. "Kill me now."

"That can easily be arranged," Giygas said airily, flipping through the Calculus textbook with interest. "However, you make good coffee, so I must refrain."

"I hate you."

"The feeling is mutual. Now Ken. I want your word that you won't cause any trouble."

Ninten snorted, raising his cuffs. "Me, cause trouble?"

Lifting his head from the textbook, Giygas examined the cuffs in close scrutiny. "Hmm...I suppose you do have a point."

"Can't you take these off?" Ninten tugged on them like an incessant itch. "They're really uncomfortable when I sleep-"

"No."

"Why?!"

"Regenerating PSI saps your energy. Until we build enough mass onto your frame, you will remain cuffed."

"But-"

"Don't argue."

Ninten clamped his mouth shut. His forehead broke out in cold sweat. This was worse than he could have imagined. Ninten recalled unpleasant memories of how the surly man would snap at him for, well, _everything. _It was enough to spike Ninten's dread skyhigh. How could he endure ten hours of _math, _no less with _Giygas?!_

Yeah...no. This wasn't going to work out.

Ninten wasn't liking this idea.

Not at all.

And with his cuffs, Giygas had finally stripped him of his one and only security. No PSI? God, Ninten had never felt so _naked. _Feeling his cheeks flush in humiliation, Ninten wrung his wrists. "Please," he begged. "I won't do anything, I swear, just take these off..."

"You won't cause trouble." Giygas repeated, his features creasing into a hard look. His fingers tapped a rhythm onto the bedside cabinet. "Ken. Your word."

Fine. Two could play that game.

Ninten's eyes flickered to the door. "I solemnly swear..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"SHIT!"

**_"WHeRe dO YoU ThiNK YoU'rE GoING?!"_**

Giygas wasn't angry. Oh, _no. _

Giygas was _pissed._

**"KEN!"** Came the loud roar.

With a yelp, Ninten skidded into a random room, almost tripping over his shoes in his haste, then yanked at the knob. The door wouldn't budge. Another yank proved the same conclusion, and biting back another curse, Ninten whipped around, tearing back to the open hallway-

**"cEAsE thIS nOnsEnsiCAL plIgHT oF _FoOlIShNeEsSaPToTNGCe!"_**

Familiar cold fingers wrapped around his ankles, and Ninten's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Noooooooooo!" he yelled, kicking like a three-year-old as Giygas dragged him away. "Anything but math-"

"You are INsuFFeRabLe," Giygas hissed, yanking his nephew's fingers off the carpet with another tug. "Lectures begin tomorrow. There will be no math tonight-"

"Lies!"

"Unhand the carpet."

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

"Stop killing time. We are behind schedule. Your bedtime begins now-"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! I DON'T _HAVE_ A BEDTIME!" Ninten screeched.

"Yes, you do. And I'm sure that Carol would agree with our arrangement-"

"My mom never forced me to sleep early!"

"Carol didn't give you a bed time?" Giygas made a noise from the back of his throat. "Atrocious. Simply unacceptable. It looks like I will have to share a word with my sister about proper child care-"

"You are _not_ my mom," Ninten hissed, crossing his arms. "So don't even start!"

Oh, how Giygas _loathed_ teens. There was seldom anyone that tested his patience more than a disagreeable idiot, and in the past, Giygas would assign detentions to deal with students one-on-one. Most of them shriveled up when cornered alone, and Giygas took immense satisfaction in traumatizing the nasty rulebreakers who somehow lost the balls to speak up without their friends.

Unfortunately, that general rule did not seem to apply to his nephew.

If possible, Ninten was _much more_ disagreeable without his friends.

Twitching conspicuously, Giygas pinched the bridge of his nose, making a clear effort not to strangle his nephew on the spot. "Must...not...kill..."

This whole "child-care" business was a lot more taxing than Giygas had anticipated.

Repeating the mantra in his head (_Must...not...kill...)_, Giygas plucked Ninten off the ground, hoisting him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Immediately, Ninten shrieked in protest, kicking his legs and throwing his fists in a violent tantrum.

"No, no, no, no, _no-!"_

"Stop screaming."

"I hate you!"

"I assure you that the feeling is mutual!" Giygas snapped, then readjusted his grip on the wriggling body. "This is why I hate children. Always whining and complaining about something or someone-"

"I'm not a child!" Ninten snapped back, his face aglow. "Put me down!"

"You will run off again."

"Put me down!"

"No."

_"Put me down!_"

"Not until you calm yourself-"

"I'M PERFECTLY CALM!"

"Right. Off to bed, it is."

Ribs heaving, Ninten fell still. His trembling limbs sagged, danging from his uncle's grip. A hoarse whisper escaped from his lips. "Please put me down. I can walk on my own..."

This time, Giygas let go, sliding him back onto the ground. Ninten refused to look him in the eye, sulking as he nursed his injured pride. He hadn't even cleared several feet before Giygas had caught up to him.

Talk about a failed escape.

Giygas let out a snort, then quickly covered it up by rubbing his forehead. "You are quite stubborn."

Ninten threw him a particularly sour look, then trudged off in the direction of his bedroom with defeated shoulders.

"Sleep." To Giygas's surprise, more words spilled out of his own mouth. "I will leave your door unlocked from the inside. Wait by the elevator for breakfast tomorrow."

Sullen-faced, Ninten turned away and muttered something incomprehensible under his breath.

The bedroom door slammed shut.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_I will leave your door unlocked from the inside._

He must be insane. Giygas had no idea what had compelled himself to say those words. Only a fool would invest his trust in someone who had tried to escape seconds prior to their conversation. Hurrying out of the library, Giygas tugged on his cloak, then raced up the stairs. A million possibilities raced through his mind. What if Ninten had made a dash for it? Tracking him down would not be an issue. Despite the space of a hundred-story building, Giygas had his ways. No, so he was not concerned about losing his nephew.

Contrary to common belief, a few floors of the Hundred Story Building were occupied by creatures other than mice and roaches...and they were not so welcome to thirteen-year-old boys.

Glancing down at his watch, Giygas swiveled on his heel, then turned the corner-

Ninten had kept his word. His nephew gave no acknowledgement of his presence, opting instead to stare down at the carpet between his feet.

His surprise must have shown on his face, but Giygas quickly extinguished it with relief. ManiMani moaned its displeasure at the sentiment, crawling into his mind with its foul mood for bloodlust, but Giygas ignored it. "You're up early."

"What? Did you think that I wasn't going to show up?" Ninten muttered, still not meeting his eyes. His feet shifted in place. "Don't get me wrong. I still hate you."

Giygas tracked the rising elevator up with his eyes, but despite himself, couldn't stop the happy, lightheaded feeling from seeping into his tone. "The feeling is mutual."

Ninten threw him an odd look, but didn't comment.

The elevator was surprisingly smooth and fast. It signaled their arrival with a pleasant _ding._

This time round, the foyer was almost unrecognizable. When the elevator doors opened, an almost surreal scene greeted their eyes. A crowd of people bustled around in their suits and briefcases. Words and hectic babble rose and fell into the air.

"We will dine in the atrium. The hotspring is straight ahead-" Noticing the lack of a presence, Giygas turned around. Lost, Ninten looked wide-eyed, unprepared for the casual mass of people bustling around the once-empty foyer like a shopping mall. With a sigh, Giygas stepped back for him, then latched a firm hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Ken, this way."

"This is wrong. I-It's unnatural. I can't sense their minds at all..." Ninten swallowed hard, his eyes flickering back and forth from the blurring faces, then peered up at Giygas in panic. "Where are we?!"

"This is Moonside."

"Where is... Moonside?"

"New Pork City."

Ninten choked, jerking to a halt. "What?!"

"Moonside is a city that does not exist," Giygas said, eyes roaming through the crowd of people. "It is the City of Illusions, built atop of the ruins of New Pork City, Home of the Final Needle. Everyone and everything you see here are all living figments of my memories. They reflect the current state of my mind. Of my...insanity." A wry tone seeped into his voice. "ManiMani is growing powerful. His illusions are gaining substance. Observe. You can see, smell, hear, taste, and touch anything within reach."

A figure brushed past, jostling past his shoulder, and Ninten flinched, getting a good view of the man's face. "Dad-"

"Even him." Giygas squeezed his hand. "Stick with me. Don't lose yourself."

In response, Giygas felt those loose fingers tighten around his hand.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

They stopped before a set of golden, antique double doors. Two Starmen creaked their masks in their direction. After silent communication, the metal guards heaved open the heavy doors.

Giygas tilted his head. "After you."

As if Ninten really had a choice.

Glancing back a last time at the sea of babbling people, Ninten reluctantly took a step down to the hot spring. Right by his heels the two Starmen guards hovered, silently "escorting" him to the dining table. Evidently Giygas was smarter than he had let on: he did not trust Ninten enough to allow him to wander off alone. Not for the last time, Ninten wished that he could use PSI.

A Starman roughly shoved him forward when Ninten slowed down, forcing Ninten to stumble over the carpet. Righting himself, Ninten glared at his offender, but the Starman only stared back with emotionless eyes. The lack of expression in those lifeless machines was intimidating.

Ninten fought the urge to shudder.

But to his immense relief, Ninten heard Giygas give a sharp word under his breath, and per request, the Starmen fell back.

_Clack, Clack, Clack _went his new dress shoes on the cold marble floor. Too loud. Ninten resisted the urge to hurl them off. Darkness swallowed up his vision, and Ninten stopped, blinking into the gloom.

Then the hall lit up in bright candle light, and Ninten let out a startled cry of surprise.

In a way, the scene reminded Ninten of a 20th century European dinner. Steam touched his face, gliding over the Hot Spring in a soothing blanket of warmth. In the light fog, a cherry-wood table waited patiently, its long legs as sleek and narrow as a grand piano. There were only two seats. The nearest stood by his waist, waiting almost invitingly for someone to sit on.

The other chair was occupied.

From the other end of the table, Giygas gestured. "Sit."

As much as Ninten wanted to say _HECK NO_, the look on his uncle's face forced him to change his mind. Ninten stood fuming before dumping himself into his seat with as much force as he could muster, feeling a somewhat vicious satisfaction when the chair scraped loudly against the stone floor. He fixed his gaze on the empty wine glass and bare porcelain plate in front of him.

"Is this really necessary?" Ninten asked, directing his glare onto the stupidly many forks and spoons around his plate.

Giygas cocked an eyebrow, then took a careful sip of water.

Ninten bristled. "Don't patronize me."

"Enjoy the view when you can," Giygas spoke, ignoring him entirely. "This Hot Spring was an exclusive luxury reserved for the higher ups of the 20th century. Its architecture favors the Roman God, Apollo."

Ninten's gaze flickered to the Hot Spring. Water gurgled happily in its depths.

Giygas lowered the glass from his lips. "Let us talk over breakfast, shall we? I can only imagine how famished you are from your week-long fast."

Ninten wanted to protest, but at that exact moment, the waiter had bounced in. The illusion's black, sleek moustache quivered with a cheerful enthusiasm. "_Cosa vorrebbe ordinare?_"

Ninten blinked. "Uh...What."

"_Un momento, per favore_," Giygas responded, casually flicking his fingers over the menu. "I hope you don't mind, Ken. I am in the mood for Italian. Let's start with appetizer. Bruchetta, or Capocollo?"

"I'm not hungry."

Giygas sighed, then turned to the waiter. "Brushetta, it is. _Due bruschetta, per favore._"

"Show off," Ninten muttered. Giygas gave an innocent blink.

Immediately, there was the clatter of a plate on wood, and Ninten was faced with a delicate slice of golden-baked garlic bread topped with glistening Romane tomatoes drizzled generously with olive oil. The fresh scent of basil made his mouth water, but all of the sudden, the rich aroma overwhelmed his senses, and Ninten shrank back into his seat.

"Giygas," he said quietly. "I don't want to eat."

His uncle only raised an eyebrow in response. "I don't recall giving you a say in the matter-"

"No, you don't understand, I mean-" Ninten gave a deep breath. "I can't eat all of this."

Giygas lowered his utensils onto his own plate. "Ken-"

"I want to. Really, I do." Ninten was shaking. "It looks really good and all, but I can't finish this. I don't want to waste good food-" Clenching his teeth tightly, Ninten shook his head, then pushed the plate aside with unsteady fingers. "It's too much..."

"Pick up your fork."

"I can't."

"Pick up your fork, Ken-"

"Please, don't make me eat." Ninten clutched his ribs. "I'll only get sick and throw it back up. I swear, I'll eat when I feel hungry."

Giygas sent a piercing look in his direction, but didn't question him. "Then perhaps we can tailor the food to your taste. What do you normally like to eat at home?"

"Mom's cooking."

"Of course. Your mother would have pampered you all your life-"

"Not really."

"Ah...?" For once, Giygas looked surprised. "Did she get a new job?"

"I guess you could say that." Ninten's fingers fiddled with the stem of his half-empty glass of water. "Mom's never home. She's often out to help my great grandfather," he said quietly, gazing at the hot spring. "George had to get chemotherapy shortly after Maria passed away. He's getting older, so my mom's usually out to help him."

Somewhat stunned, Giygas picked apart the information in his brain. "But Maria passed away when you were five. That means..."

Ninten shifted in his seat. "I eat."

"You are not providing me a very convincing argument."

"I don't have to! I mean, there's always leftovers in the fridge, and we have a hired chef. It's not like I _starve_ myself-"

"What do you normally eat?"

Realizing that Giygas wasn't going to let the issue go, Ninten's shoulders slumped. "Oreos," he muttered, not meeting his eyes. "Umm, sometimes if I get really hungry, I make myself a poptart. Anything that's convenient. Usually, I can't finish it anyway..." Ninten's voice turned defensive. "But I eat! I know how to take care of myself-"

"Clearly," Came his uncle's dry voice. "You are severely underweight."

Ninten flushed a dark crimson. "It's genetic."

Giygas let out a small sigh. It was lost over the sound of trickling water. "Ken, you must eat," he said, pushing his own plate aside. "The average amount of Calories required by a teenage boy of your age is at least 1600. I don't think you are eating enough, and worse, the majority of what you are describing to me sounds like junk food." Another odd expression flickered across Giygas's face. "Does your father make you think that you are a waste of food?"

Ninten stiffened, then pushed the untouched plate aside. "I'm done."

"Ken-"

_"Bye." _

Ninten bolted out of the room. This time, Giygas didn't follow.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the delay! Premed happened. Heh, heh.**

**Last week, I went _EPIC_ _DEMONRAGE GOGOGO_ writing mode...and Chapter 34 ended up being 20k+ words without review responses and A/Ns. Whoops! I spent this week debating over what to do, and decided to split it for better flow. But t****o make up for my two month absence, I will post Part 2 this Thursday. So yay, two chapters (sort of) in one week!**

**I renamed all of the chapters with soundtrack names. Music is a very important theme in this fic!**

**Happy reading. :)**

* * *

**Shimo no ko**: Don't worry! You're not alone. :) I'm pretty sure Ninten's family life caught a lot of people off-guard. Especially the flashback last chapter - it was supposed to be a shock factor of one of Ninten's worst memories. Ninten's family life will continue to pop up during the second part of the chapter (ugh, I want to kick myself for writing so much!). Also, I agree - Giygas and Ninten's relationship seemed a little rushed last chapter, but that was because everything is explained in the flashback this chapter. Gotta unravel my mysteries one at a time, amiright? ;) And thanks! I've always liked to think that Ninten really looked up to Claus. With Claus's rocky relationship with Ness, his interaction with Ninten really makes the four-man-friend-group work. :)

**Connor**: Congrats on finishing your drafts for Ceres! I'm so happy for you. :) Go get a nice break after this, you've been working on the Ceres - jk, _series_ \- for a while. And yep, I finished the conclusion. Or I guess to clarify, the last paragraph, not the chapter itself. I have a good idea of how I want this story to end. The tricky part is wrapping everything up to _reach_ the end haha. Dang it, it's almost been two years. I've learned a lot from writing this fic. I have the opposite problem. My antagonists tend to be elitist, because I overthink things. That's also a part of what I like about your fics. A lot of your minor antagonists are extremists heh. I think it takes a lot more thought to write about extremist characters, because it's harder to make them well-rounded.

**Guest**: I'm updating a chapter this Thursday. ;) Jk, all jokes aside, I try to keep my fics updated once a month. The max, every two months. It's getting difficult now, with me finally about to apply to med school, but I love writing, and I'm so, so, so glad that you like this fic too. Thanks for giving this fic love. :)

**Mother-sins**: Ahhh, all you reviewers are too nice to meh...! DX Makes my heart razzle-dazzle inside. Thank you very mucha hehe. Now please wait while I compose myself. *Furiously stuffs face into pillow*

**DarkFoxKit**: Thank uuu! And yep, one Ninten left! Let's hope that he makes it. ^_^ And heh, iz okay. Fassad aint no kind-hearted beauty queen! *Stops to look around* Don't tell him I said that.

**Guest**: Heh, Let's see what else this _Evil __writer_ has in store. ;D P.S., I agree, Fassad is a total female dog.

**I'mSolidSnaek**: Better late than never. ;) LOL I had to search up Iron Woobie on Google. Then I proceeded to waste thirty minutes of my time surfing through TV Tropes. Whyyyy...! Heh, but yeah, thanks for your review. Your input in this story is always welcome. :) The contrast you draw with Giygas and Ninten father is interesting, but like I always say...we'll see. ;) Thanks, by the way. The filler is necessary - but I do feel frustrated sometimes with how sluggish the plot is moving. We'll see more of Fassad soon. ;)

I'd like to think that the flashback in the last chapter was the worst of the worst, but yeah, corporeal punishment ayyyy. I'm not sure how other households disciplined their kids - but I like to think that I had it nice. My parents believed in certain ethical codes - a direct blow by the hand, or a blow towards the face, for example was an implied taboo. That was why Giygas hitting Ninten in the face struck home to me. Some people deserve a punch, but parents shouldn't ever slap their children in the face. Idk. That's just my two cents. Unfortunately, yes, I'd agree that you hit the head on the nail. I like to think that Ninten naturally has an optimistic mask. While Lucas tends to keep everything in, Ninten likes to poke fun of himself in a joking manner. It's his way of coping. D:

**Plushiepaw**: NO WORRIES, FRIEND! It's all good. :) I understand that my readers are super busy people with super busy lives. I just hope things are going okay on your end - you sound like you have a lot on your plate. :) But yeah, I agree - you have a point. Giygas-Ninten interaction seemed super rushed because of the flashback ON THIS STUPID CHAPTER. DX Fail writer fails. XD Also AHHHHH yeah, I enjoyed writing that flashback with Ninten and Claus haha. It's a two in one deal - more character development for Ninten, but more feels for Claus. Speaking of Claus, we'll open up with a Flint flashback in Chapter 36 (not the Part two of this chapter, but the next ACTUAL chapter). It should explain a lot about how the father-son bond fell apart. Just a little spoiler secret, from me to you. ;)


	35. Isn't This Such a Utopia?

Rubbing hot air into his cold palms, Ninten hugged himself, watching the mass of faceless people blur past before his eyes. Hunger clawed painful furrows into his stomach, but Ninten ignored it, crouching low against the ground.

Incoherent whispers floated into his ears. _Welcome to Moonside, Wel coome to de moon side- _

_The ManiMani statue? Why yes, right this way, gentlemen-_

_Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! My name's Fassad. I think you're in my Physics 151 Lab...? _

He must have sounded like a spoiled child, turning down perfectly good food then walking out without being dismissed. It was a real mystery why Giygas was putting up with him at all.

Torn, Ninten closed his eyes. No, he _wasn't_ supposed to feel guilty. Giygas had dragged him here against his free will. Giygas had handed Claus over to Fassad without batting an eyelid. Yes, Ninten had every right to be angry. He _should_ be angry.

But Ninten wasn't.

He was frustrated...but he wasn't angry.

The weight of that thought, if possible, sunk Ninten's form lower into the floor of the atrium. He wasn't just useless to his friends anymore.

He was a traitor.

"Hello sugar. Long time, no see~❤"

Tensing at the voice, Ninten narrowed his eyes. "What do _you_ want?"

Fassad sent him a simpering smile. "Now dear, I was just wondering why a little boy like _you_ would be sitting out here~❤ Mind some company?"

"Buzz off."

"Oh, is it a crime to speak these days?" Fassad asked sweetly. Ninten scooted away, but Fassad stopped him by slinging an arm over his shoulder. "Come now, sugar. Are you still sour over what I said?"

"Let go, you creep," Ninten snapped, trying to wrench himself away, but Fassad ignored him, pulling him in closer. Ninten grimaced, feeling the sharp ends of his manicured nails dig into his shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're alive! It's been a while, dear~❤" With a titter, Fassad drew out a rolled-up wad of paper. "Cigarette, dear?"

Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Ninten shook his head.

"Oh, come on, sweetie. Your uncle won't notice." Fassad waggled one in his face. "I won't tell~❤"

"I won't touch anything you give me."

"Fair enough. Well, all the more for me~❤" Fassad lit the cigar, then exhaled into Ninten's face. This time, expecting it, Ninten held his breath. Even so, he couldn't help but cough at the funky tang. Amused, Fassad lowered the cigar. "Oops."

"You said that last time."

"Oh, honey, be nice." The Magypsy bopped his nose. _"_We wouldn't want you to end up like your friend."

Ninten swatted his hand away. "I still don't get why Giygas trusts you."

"That's because Giygas is an almighty idiot. And so are you~❤"

"I'm not idiot, and neither is he!"

"Oh, hush, sweetie. You're mad at your uncle for refusing to save your friends! Understandable, I suppose~❤" Fassad exhaled. Smoke streamed from his lips. "Giygas tries very hard not to show it, but I can see right through him. It's in his eyes~ He's afraid of losing you, darling. Not that _I_ understand." Fassad's eyes roamed his body, making Ninten uncomfortable. "You's a little too skinny for my taste-"

"No one asked you!" Ninten snapped, involuntarily covering himself with his arms.

"No offense, dear. I have high standards." Fassad took a long draught of smoke. "Your uncle's playing a risky game. I'd hate to be in his shoes. See, darling, Giygas can't save your friends... _because he doesn't have a choice_. If he spreads his safety net too wide, then all of his fish would simply slip through the holes! _That's_ why he keeps a smaller net. A _tighter_ net. As long as he can catch one fish, why would he care about losing the rest?"

"Your analogies are stupid."

"I can see why Giygas is afraid." Fassad tittered, fanning the air with another flap of his hand. "I can't blame him, dear~❤ You've got a sharp tongue, but you have no bite to back up your bark. You're too young, too frail! What, with your health-"

"There's nothing wrong with my health!"

"Oh, you poor, naive soul. Look at your uncle. Haven't you noticed the effect you have on him?"

_"What effect?"_ Ninten spat, wriggling out of Fassad's hold.

"Your uncle and I made a deal. He knew that the cost of the Seventh Needle was the price of a life. He traded his guilt for resolve." Fassad blew more smoke into his face. "His mind was hanging onto the bare threads of sanity when Maria died. To be honest, dear, I'm not surprised that ManiMani hasn't broken him yet. His mental fortitude speaks for itself, I suppose. Many men would have crumbled under the burden of restraining such a chaotic Demon for _years._ But with _you_ at his side...he is regaining his conscience. _You _make his mind stable. If anything were to happen to you..._"_ The Magypsy broke out into a wide smile, then affectionately patted Ninten on the head. "Oh, _no, _we can't have that. I'd simply _hate_ for anything to happen to you, sweetie~❤"

Ninten gripped his sweating fists. "You don't scare me."

"Really?" Fassad said softly. "Not even a little?"

A muscle twitched in Ninten's jaw. "No."

"No? Well, you should be, dear. Afraid of me, that is. Naughty little boys like you shouldn't be wandering off on their own without their masters."

"I don't have a-"

"My point is, honey, that you need to be more careful." Fassad leaned in. The foul odor of overripe bananas lingered on his hot breath. "You _should_ be scared...especially of the things that go _bump_ in the night."

Ninten's blood turned to ice. "That scream I heard..." he said slowly. "It was you."

"Me?! Hah!" Fassad laughed, throwing his head up to the ceiling. "Who else would it be? Darling, if it hadn't been for your _dear uncle,_ you would've woken up the next morning with a slit throat. Did you know that, sugar? Of course not. Why, did you think I was going to let you off that easily? After insulting me?" Swaying his hips to the side, Fassad clasped his hands sweetly like a little girl. "It was all child's play. I tracked down where Giygas was keeping you hidden. I waited. With that cumbersome feeding tube, you were hooked up nice and tight to the IV pole. If I'd cornered you in the middle of the night, you wouldn't have stood a chance. What could you have done? Defend yourself? You could barely walk! Use PSI? Please, you had none! Run away? Not an option~❤"

"...You tried to kill me."

"I would have gotten away with it too," Fassad sniffed, rising to crush the smoking cigar underneath his boot. "Sugar, your uncle might have gotten the flipside on me that night, but now...he isn't here. You're all alone._" _Something hard gleamed in Fassad's eyes. "After wasting all this time nursing you back to health... it would be a shame to tell Giygas about the loss of his _dear dead nephew._"

His sixth sense ran wild. Ninten tried to take a step back, but with a scrape of metal, Fassad drew out a golden blade. It whispered with a power that sent shivers down Ninten's toes.

Ready to bolt, Ninten whirled around, but almost instantly bumped into something hard. Startled, Ninten glanced up. The Masked Man closed in, blocking his way, and Ninten jumped back, raising his hands in defense-

SHIT. HE STILL DIDN'T HAVE HIS POWERS.

"You said that you were going to be fine, Claus," Ninten said, shaking. "You _promised_."

The Masked Man didn't respond. Not that Ninten had been expecting him to. If Lucas couldn't get to his own brother, Ninten doubted he himself stood a chance.

Fassad's leer intensified. "What's the matter, dear? Going somewhere? Oh, just when we were having friendly talk too..." His eyes flickered over Ninten's shoulder. "Get him."

Rough arms wrapped around Ninten's torso, hoisting him up into the air from behind. With a cry, Ninten kicked out, lashing out against the Masked Man's grip, but Fassad stepped in to catch a flying hand.

"Giygas isn't a man who changes his mind at the flip of a dime," Fassad mused, flipping over Ninten's trapped palm like the page of a book, then examined it with interest. "You must be worth quite a sum to him if he's been putting up with your temper tantrums. Oh, the lengths Giygas would go to keep you alive! Unfortunately for you-" His grin widened. "I'm not a patient man."

Fassad squeezed his wrist _hard,_ and a hot flare of pain shot up Ninten's arm.

"No..." Ninten gasped, straining for breath. "Stop-!"

"You should have trusted your uncle when you had the chance~❤" Fassad pressed the flat of the cold blade against Ninten's cheek - over the exact place Giygas had slapped him - and Ninten froze. Fassad's grin widened. "But both of you are fools. Silly, silly fools-"

Furious, Ninten swung his free fist forward.

"AUGH!" Fassad staggered back, hands flying to his nose. "MY FACE!"

"Come back here so I can punch it again!"

"What in the-_OW!_"

_"Yeah. Take that, you turd!"_

"You're a monster!" Fassad wailed, then fell to his knees, blindly groping around for the fallen sword. Mascara dripped down his eyes. "Hitting a lady like that! You...you jerk!"

Ninten couldn't help it. He laughed out loud.

Whoops.

Fassad lost his head. _"Yo__u'll pay for this__!"_ he bellowed, then lunged forward with outstretched arms.

Rapidly losing color from his cheeks, Ninten wrestled back Claus's arm, desperately trying to loosen his grip-

Then Fassad was onto him.

A burly fist yanked Ninten's hair back, exposing his neck, and Ninten gritted his teeth against the sharp point of the sword forced under his chin. Panting heavily, Fassad jerked his shirt up, dangling him off the floor. "You want to play dirty? Fine, _dear._ Let's play dirty." Baring his teeth, Fassad twisted the blade against Ninten's neck, dotting it with a line of blood. "We'll see just how lovely _your_ face looks after I slit that pretty pink tongue from your throat-"

**"Code three-six-two."**

Fassad's smile faltered. "What...?"

**"Code three-six-two. Protect Master Ken."**

Ninten felt the grip on his hair slacken. The arms terrorizing his chest disappeared, and Ninten fell into pair of welcome hands. Eve hummed, protectively cradling him against her chest. Soft gold eyes glowed and peered down at him in genuine warmth.

**"Scanning for injuries...2 Results. Incision. Bruised wrist. Classify injuries...Nonfatal."**

"You!" Fassad gasped, jabbing a finger at the robot in fury. "What are you doing here?! Shoo!"

Eve cocked her head. **"Scanning..."**

"No, stupid robot! Listen to me-"

**"Threat." **_Clank._ Eve took a step, looming over the Magypsy. An intimidating stance. **"Threat. Threat-"**

Blanching, Fassad raked his hands across in an explosive wave of PSI. Billowing flames licked the flameproof exterior as Eve curled around her passenger, sheltering Ninten from the blistering heat. Even with the protective maneuver, Ninten felt his eyes water from the scorching temperature.

Unfazed by the attack, Eve popped her head out. Her eyes flared up with electricity.

**"Terminate threat."**

"YOW!" With an undignified shriek, Fassad jumped ten feet into the air as a _zap_ of electricity struck his rear. Aiming again, Eve cocked her head, surveying him with unforgiving eyes.

Fassad took the wisest course of action.

"To me!" he barked, swiveling on his heel. The Masked Man followed. With the lingering smell of burnt trousers, the pair disappeared into the crowd of illusions.

**"Scanning for threats...****Threats detected: Zero." **With a slow hum, Eve lowered Ninten back onto the ground. Grateful, Ninten hopped onto the tiles, then gingerly touched his throat. A few drops of blood smeared his hand from the shallow cut. Eve tilted her head, and Ninten hesitated before giving her a pat on the arm.

"Thanks, Eve..."

Her eyes brightened up. Eve nuzzled Ninten's hair with renewed vigor. Static tickled his cheeks, and Ninten laughed, shoving her aside. "Ahaha, stop-!"

**"Mwaah~"**

"I can't understand you," Ninten said out loud, but he was smiling. His eyes flickered over to the closed double doors, and his stomach dropped.

Ninten owed someone else an apology.

Giving a low murmur to assuage the curious robot, Ninten made his way through the crowd. Nameless, faceless people brushed by, jostling past with a flurry of shoes and elbows, but quietly, Ninten made his way across.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over his head. A low whine met his ears, and Ninten turned around.

Forlorn, Eve blinked her eyes.

Ninten gently pushed her back. "I can take care of myself. You don't have to follow me around."

Eve hummed, clearly not understanding his words. **"Nyaaah?"**

Not knowing what to do, Ninten took a step away. With a happy hum, Eve followed. Realizing that he couldn't shake her off (or was it on Giygas's orders?), Ninten struggled through the sea of illusions, making his way to the double doors. The two Starman guards glanced at him through their emotionless helms.

"I want to see my uncle," Ninten said quietly.

With a beep and a whirr, the Starmen pushed open the double doors in unison. Ninten stepped inside, trailed close behind by Eve.

Giygas was still sitting in the same position that Ninten had left him. His uncle was facing the Hot Spring, watching the fog of swirly steam spiral off its surface.

Trying to dislodge the words stuck in his throat, Ninten opened his mouth. Nothing came out.

As if noticing them, Giygas turned around. He gave no comment to Eve's sudden presence. "Sit down. We are running behind schedule."

Caught off-guard, Ninten gripped his bruised wrist. _Did Giygas not know what had happened? _

Ashamed, Ninten felt himself grow impossibly small, but his lips managed to force out the dreaded words. "I'm sorry-"

"Pick an entree."

Ninten jerked his head up. "What?"

"Pick an entree." Giygas raised an eyebrow, then motioned to the menu. "Go on. It will do you little good to solve Calculus problems on an empty stomach."

Flushing furiously in embarrassment, Ninten gripped the menu, and stuck his face into a picture of Margarita.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ninten should've known better not to eat so much food.

Now, he was learning his lesson the hard way.

"Your lack of self control is appalling."

"Ungh..."

"Miserable?"

"I hate you."

"The feeling is mutual."

Heaving, Ninten pushed himself away from the toilet bowl with a scowl. "You made me eat. I shouldn't have eaten-"

"There is a difference between _eating_ and that... _bestial __abomination_ you displayed back there_. _The speed with which you polished off your plates was positively terrifying."

With a wince, Ninten wiped his mouth, then hobbled over to the sink. He had clearly underestimated how hungry he had been. Once he had taken the first bite, Ninten hadn't been able to stop cramming his mouth with food. Now, uncomfortably bloated and full, he sorely regretted his rash feeding frenzy. Even _thinking_ about food forced him to keep the remaining contents of his stomach down...all that cheese - rich, melted cheese dripping into a hot, queasy mess onto his plate-!

Ugh. Ninten _definitely_ wasn't eating Italian for a long while.

"You ate too quickly. Your body needs time to adjust to your increased caloric intake." Giygas tapped his fingers. "Perhaps we should have started off with broth."

It didn't help that Giygas was lecturing him on _How to Eat Food 101_. Spitting out the last of the sour taste out of his mouth into the sink, Ninten swiped out his toothbrush and began to brush his teeth with a furious vigor. "Erm gah oour paul."

Giygas didn't even bat an eye. "When you are done reminding yourself of your lack of selfworth-" he said dryly, and Ninten flushed. "Grace me with your presence. We are behind schedule if we want to finish Chapters 1 and 2 tonight."

Five minutes later, the torture began.

**_A 15 foot ladder rests against the wall. The base of the ladder lands 10 feet away from the wall and is being pushed away from the wall at a rate of 0.25 ft/sec. How fast is the top of the ladder moving down the wall after 10 seconds?_**

Ninten blinked, staring at the letters swimming before his eyes. It might have as well have been written in Pig Latin.

Giygas's voice cut into his train of thought. The teacher voice was back, stern and inexpressive. "Think back to our lectures. What is the first step I would tell you to take?"

"Ummm...set up an equation?"

"Correct. Set up your equation."

Ninten picked up his pencil. After much hesitation, he lowered his pencil onto the paper to scribble something down-

In an instant, Giygas rapped the desk with a roll of wadded up paper, startling Ninten with the sudden noise. "What are you doing?!"

Ninten raised his eyebrows in a _no, duh _manner. "I'm setting up an equation-"

"I told you to set up an equation, not to make one up!"

With a scowl, Ninten erased his work with vicious vigor. Graphite smeared the paper in streaks of gray. "I don't know where to start."

"Start from the beginning. _I__dentify the problem."_

"How?"

"Read the problem. A ladder is leaning against a wall. Draw it out."

A scribble and a scratch. Ninten eagerly pushed the paper forward. "Like this?"

Giygas inspected the sloppy triangle. He wrinkled his nose. "Not perfect, but it will do. Now, _identify._ What kind of problem are we working on?"

"I don't know."

"That is not an answer."

"Ehhh...Is it..." Ninten glanced up, afraid of saying the wrong answer, but Giygas remained impassive. "Relaaaaaaated...rates?"

"Correct. Set up an equation."

Ninten paused, then erased his work. "Is this the equation...?"

"Wrong."

Erase. Scribble. "Is this-"

"Wrong."

"Then..." Erase. Scribble. "Hooooow about-"

"Wrong again."

Frustrated, Ninten tossed down his pencil. "I give up-"

"I told you to _think!"_ Giygas snapped, rapping the wad of paper against the desk yet again. "You're not even trying-"

"Not trying?! What do you think I'm doing right now?!" Ninten said hotly, rubbing his ringing ears. "I don't know how to set this up!"

"This is a _right_ _triangle_. What do you know about right triangles?"

Ninten gave a nervous laugh. "That they're never wrong?" Giygas threw him a glare that Ninten cowered under, and well chastised, Ninten turned to the textbook with a simmering gloom. "Ummmm..."

"Pythagorean Theorem."

"Right." Ninten snatched his pencil back up. "_a squared plus b squared equals c squared..."_

Giygas sat perched in Eve's chair against the bedside cabinet. "Continue."

"...I'm stuck."

"No, you're not."

"I can't do it."

"We are not done with today's lesson-"

"What's the point? I don't even know how to start a problem, and it's only question 1." Ninten lifted the hinge of his textbook. "I'm hopeless at Calc-"

Giygas's fingers stopped the book from closing. "We are not done until I say so," the teacher said, reopening the book to its former page. "You are not sleeping until we finish all the problems on the page."

Ninten's jaw dropped to the floor. "But-"

"I thought you wanted to fortify your mind?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Ninten gloomily dragged the textbook over with the tips of his fingers. "Fine, I'll try, but don't expect me to get any of these problems correct. I've been hopeless at math for years."

"I don't expect anything. Now pay attention. I'll work you through this problem, and then you're on your own..."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Derivative of sin(θ)?"

"Cos(θ)."

"Derivative of cos(θ)?"

"Negative sin(θ)."

"Derivative of tan(θ)?"

"Secant squared theta."

"Do you understand why these formulas make sense?"

Barely awake, Ninten nodded off. "Mmhmm. The graphs..."

"Good. Math isn't History. Don't memorize - _Understand._ Now, flip to the next page. Question 152...Differentiation. The trig is different, but aside from that, it seems like an exact repeat of Question 23." Giygas peered over the top of the teacher's manual in his lap. "Set up an equatio-"

Ninten didn't respond. His head had fallen onto the pages of his spread textbook. Graphite messily smeared his left cheek.

Without a word, Giygas closed his manual, then set it aside. Quietly, he rested a hand on his nephew's spiky black hair, then tested his forehead with the back of his palm. It was no longer burning.

Ninten's deep breathing rustled the corners of his scratch paper.

Giygas watched his chest rise and fall.

"We will resume lessons tomorrow," the man simply said, then opened the door to take his leave.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_"The K9 unit was dispatched to the school. We deduce that the kidnapper could not have escaped by foot. Another investigation is currently under progress."_

_"Were you able to...?"_

_"We are doing the best we can to search for a lead."_

_"I see. In that case, I wish to take another look at my son's profile."_

_"Mrs. Carol, there is sensitive information to the investigation inside his profile. I cannot release his official documentary at this time-"_

_"Chief Wess, I lost both my brother and son to the school arson. My brother, I know, has his ways, but Ken...Where is my son, officer?"_

_"Ken is still missing."_

_"Yesterday, you let me read his profile. I recognized your handwriting on the last page, officer. You know that he can use PSI."_

_"..."_

_"Chief Wess, I now speak not as a lawyer's wife, but as a mother. And as a mother, I have to know that my son is safe. Please, officer...Where is my son?"_

_"..."_

_"Chief Wess-"_

_"We do not know."_

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

The daily cycle repeated.

Tutoring after breakfast. Tutoring after lunch. Number this, Number that. Flip the page. Repeat. Long hours were spent cracking proofs, rules, and theories.

Calculus didn't just consume Ninten's life anymore - Calculus _became_ his life.

Around half-past six, Giygas stretched his arms after another painfully worded question. "Coffee."

"No."

"Tutoring is tiring. Make me coffee."

"Make it yourself."

Lowering the teacher's manual, Giygas quirked an eyebrow. "Coffee, Ken."

"I'm not your slave."

"Nephew, slave, same difference. Black; no milk, no sugar."

"No wonder you're so sweet."

"My taste preferences have nothing to do with my charming personality. Now, please, if you will..."

Ninten threw him a dirty glare, then stomped around Eve's "chair" to boil the kettle.

On the whole, the private math lessons were going a lot better than Ninten had imagined. The problems were surprisingly becoming easier to solve. He still struggled with writing down the correct variables, the curve of the integral onto the paper, but it was coming much more naturally to him.

The kettle whistled, and the warm aroma of freshly-brewed coffee steamed into his face. Without a word, Ninten set a full teacup down onto the table with a clatter. Lifting the steaming cup of coffee, Giygas furrowed his eyebrows. "Math isn't your favorite subject."

It was both a statement and a fact.

"Yeah. I like English. I'm rubbish at math."

"Hmm. In any case, your current performance doesn't correlate to your test grades in class..."

"I don't work well under pressure."

Giygas didn't question him after that.

But Ninten wasn't stupid. He noticed how Giygas no longer hovered over his head for every problem, no longer snapped at him to answer a question correctly. It wasn't to say that Giygas had become any more agreeable; his uncle was still as intimidating and unpredictable as usual, but Ninten was beginning to gain a better grasp of the difficult subject. It was easier to breathe now that he knew he wasn't _completely_ hopeless at Calculus.

"You suffer from test anxiety," Giygas said suddenly, studying him with an calculating look. "Are you stressed?"

Ninten shook his head.

"Your father pressures you."

"Not too much."

"And Carol says nothing to stop him?"

Uncomfortable at the question, Ninten shuffled his feet along the floor. "Like I said, Mom's never home. After George got diagnosed with cancer, she's been out helping him cope."

"What about your sisters?"

"My twin sisters transferred to a private boarding school in Winters. I'm stuck here in town because dad wants to teach me the family business. He has two offices, one at home and the other in the Monotoli building back in Fourside. So, yeah, I guess you could say that the house is pretty empty most of the time." Ninten cracked a small grin. "But really, I don't mind having the whole house to myself-"

"Nonsense." Giygas studied him, looking clearly unimpressed. "I must speak to my sister about this. If she has time to visit her grandfather, I don't know why she doesn't have time for you."

Ninten closed his mouth. His cheeks turned a faint pink. "It doesn't matter. It's not like my parents ignore me-"

"Rubbish. I never liked your father. _Business majors._ Honestly, what did my sister see in that man?" Giving an obvious sniff of distaste, Giygas prodded a page into the textbook. "Mixed review, Question 56. Another related rates problem. Remember to use implicit differentiation-"

"Are you sure you're possessed?"

Giygas gave him a look, then flipped over a page in the teacher's manual. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity, I guess...?"

"That is not enough reason for you to sway me."

Ninten scowled. "You said that curiosity wasn't a sin!"

"Some things are better off not known."

Ninten buried his head in his arms. "But whyyyyyy? You can't go all _demonrage_ in front of me, then say nothing about your wicked powers-"

"Demonic possession is not a topic to take lightly."

"Please...?"

"No."

Ninten sniffed, crossing his arms. "Suit yourself. I guess you'll be making your own coffee."

Unaffected by the remark, Giygas tapped the top of the textbook.

Disappointed, Ninten lowered his head to finish the given question-

"I was young and foolish. Very, very foolish."

Jaw agape, Ninten snapped his head up in surprise. He hadn't expected his uncle to say anything.

Giygas raised an eyebrow.

Catching his drift, Ninten hastily continued scribbling out his equation.

Giygas's voice sounded incredibly soft. Fragile, even. "Ken, what do you know about Demons?"

Ninten hesitated, then shook his head.

"I'm not surprised. I did not expect you to know." Giygas tapped his fingers again. One, two, three, four. "Internal demons lurk within all people. Demons have no body, but feed on the insecurities of people to grow. They are parasites, eating away at the mind until they drive their victims mad. On rare occasions, once they have been fed enough, they can take form as a _free demon,_ or _spirit._

"Like a disease, a _spirit_ will travel, seeking another host. Most Demon spirits cannot live outside their host, and dissipate into nonexistence. However, others... _bolder, stronger_ Demons will preserve themselves by incubating inside an inanimate object. Once an _object_ is chosen by the Demon, the Demon will not part with it in fear of its life.

"When the time is ripe, the spirit will leave the sanctuary of its object to latch hold onto their next unfortunate target, bringing with them the desiccated remains of their past hosts: the insane minds of others. Prolonged contact with these insane minds will break their hosts, who in turn will succumb to madness. And the cycle repeats."

Ninten's skin crawled. "They own multiple minds. That's why they're so powerful." Ninten gripped his uncle by the forearm. "How do you get rid of a Demon?"

"Once a Demon becomes a spirit..." Giygas pried his fingers off. "There is no cure."

Ninten's stomach dropped.

"There is only one way to defeat a Demon spirit, and that is to force it out of a host. Once forced out of a host, the weakened spirit will have no choice but to retreat and incubate inside its _object_. Shattering this object with the Demon inside will permanently destroy the Demon."

"Does your Demon have a cursed object?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"That is none of your business."

Ninten scowled, setting his pencil down. "Yeah, it is!"

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "My Demon is strong. ManiMani has driven many people mad. He has devoured hundreds of souls." Giygas paused, one finger hovering over a flipped page of notes. "Soon, he will devour mine-"

"No," Ninten said suddenly. "There has to be a way-"

"Don't be foolish. We are but two minds against hundreds."

"We can force it out-"

"What you suggest is nigh impossible."

Ninten bolted upright. "You can't give up! I'm sure if we enter your mind-"

"You'll do nothing of the sort!" Giygas said sharply, slamming the teacher's manual shut with his palms. "Demons are _infectious._ To enter an infected mind means risking the safety of your own!"

"So? You can't just not try!"

"We will talk no more on this matter."

"But-"

_"No more." _Giygas's eyes flashed an icy blue - a dangerous look had overshadowed his face. The textbook cover swung off its hinges - thin pages fluttered open in a massive rush of paper. "Don't be foolish. There is a thin line between courage and stupidity, and what you suggest falls to the latter. I have paid the price of my foolishness. You will not follow in my footsteps-"

The chair clattered onto the floor with a loud crash. Chest heaving, Ninten glared up at him, balling his fists.

"Ah, I see. You are angry." Giygas gave a wry smile. "Have I offended your tiny teenage ego-?"

"Maria wouldn't have wanted you to give up."

There was a dangerous silence. The tension increased tenfold.

One wrong word could trigger the minefield.

Giygas's smile hardened. "Don't mention her name."

"I can talk about her all I want. She was my great grandmother."

"This conversation is closed."

"Maria wouldn't have wanted you to throw away your life!"

"I said, THis coNVeRSaTiON is CLoSeD."

"_YOU AREN'T EVEN TRYING TO STAY ALIVE-"_

Instantly, Ninten found himself pressed uncomfortably against the wall, Giygas's sharp nose an inch away from his face. Ninten froze in shock, slowly registering the dull throb of pain in his shoulderblades. A clammy suspicion squeezing his heart, Ninten dared to peer into his uncle's face. "Giygas...?"

Giygas's eyes snapped open. Both irises had turned a brilliant blue. A strange hunger lurked in those depths.

Chills ran down Ninten's spine.

This bloodthirsty predator wasn't his uncle.

**"****yOU wIll DiE sLOwLY."**

Ninten swallowed hard. "Giygas...Are you-" A telekinetic force choked him off. Ninten panicked, hands flying to his neck, but physical force did little to stop the onslaught of PSI squeezing Ninten's throat raw.

**"yEs...YoU wiLL mAKe a FinE mEAl****. ****I wiLL SavOr tHe sOUnD oF yOuR sCReaMs..."**

Something tickled the back of Ninten's throat. The pressure around his chest constricted.

Asthma attack.

Ninten gripped his uncle's wrist, then silently squeezed it. "Giygas? Giygas, snap out of it-" His uncle didn't respond. Drowning in asphyxiation, Ninten gave a terrified sob, clawing at the invisible hands at his throat. "Uncle..._please, I can't breathe-"_

**"yOU aRe A FOoL fOr TrUStIng mE."** A slow grin stretched across Giygas's lips. **"i kILLed mY oWN MoTHer. wHAt wIll StoP mE fROm kILLiNG yOu ToO?"**

His sight blurred. Unable to see, Ninten blinked his watery eyes. His voice was barely audible. "Maria loved you. Why can't you see that?"

Giygas tightened his telekinesis. The grip around his throat intensified, and Ninten fell limp, feeling the life drain out of his heavy limbs-

Suddenly, the fingers slackened.

Unable to stop wheezing, Ninten slumped against the floor. Anxiety screamed into his ears, but Ninten managed to kneel on all fours, coughing and clutching his ribs with blue fingers. Slowly, the tightness in his chest eased.

Large shoes echoed closer, and flinching, Ninten drew himself into a tight ball.

The footsteps halted.

"You are wrong." Giygas's voice was hoarse. "She never should have loved me."

Whirling on his heel, Giygas stalked out of the room.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Giygas didn't show up the next morning.

Ninten glanced at the clock in worry. Five minutes after eight, and yet, there was still no sign of his uncle. For a second, Ninten considered skipping breakfast. He didn't really feel like eating after what had happened yesterday, and the ambush by Fassad in the lobby had left a sour taste lingering on his tongue.

**"Nyaaah?"**

A pair of warm arms wrapped around his torso, but by now, Ninten was no longer startled by the familiar gesture. "Hello Eve," Ninten muttered, glancing up to her face. "You don't happen to know where Giygas is, do you?"

Eve cocked her head. Various emoticons played across her face. **"Master Giygas has called in sick. He has scheduled me to be your chaperone for the day. Beep bop boop."**

A part of Ninten couldn't help but feel disappointed. "I see."

**"Good morning, Master Ken! ****Scanning itinerary...8:00 - 8:30 AM. Breakfast. Did you eat breakfast today?"**

"Yeah-"

**"Lie. Lie. Lie." **Eve's eyes began to flicker yellow. **"Bad. Very bad, Master Ken."**

Ninten flushed. "I'm not-"

**"You must eat three full meals a day. Do not go against Master Giygas's wishes."**

Darn. Even in his absence, Giygas had everything taken care of everything to the nearest _T_. Somehow, his uncle had known that Ninten would've skipped breakfast to search for him.

Eve's robotic arms looped around his torso. **"We are behind schedule. You will eat in your room."**

Ninten yelped as the robot tossed him up into the air. "You don't have to carry me! I can walk!"

**"Nyaaah~"**

Unfortunately, Giygas's absence was only the first of many trials.

Emitting another glowing emoticon, Eve half-cuddled him back to the bedroom. Plopping Ninten into a spare chair, Eve spun with a whir, then deconstructed into a table. As soon as the legs of the table touched the carpet, Eve sent off a _ding _of wind chimes. A spoon clattered into place, and with a sharp click, a perfect breakfast tray slid onto the table surface. A delicious aroma wafted into Ninten's nose.

A serving of chicken soup.

A _huge_ serving of chicken soup.

Ninten swallowed hard, then averted his eyes from the bowl. It was too much. He couldn't eat this much. As he turned his head, something else caught his eye, and with a frown, Ninten pulled out the faded sticky note underneath the tray. His uncle's neat handwriting was scrawled across the paper.

**The portion size is right.  
****Eat everything.**

It didn't make sense. Why did his uncle insist on wasting all this food on him? Ninten racked his mind, but drew a total blank. It wasn't like he actually _earned_ the food. He wasn't getting every math problem right. He couldn't even keep his fat mouth shut without sending his uncle running to High Hell.

Why did Giygas want him to eat everything?

Ninten didn't want to eat. He was afraid, afraid of eating, afraid of losing control. Ninten shivered - the disaster of the Italian dinner was still fresh on his mind.

Still, he had to try. His fingers twitching, Ninten gripped the spoon, dunked it into the warm broth, then dragged it to his clenched teeth. It wasn't until several seconds later that Ninten realized he had chickened out and was instead playing with his food, messily plopping the spoon in and out of the bowl. With a frustrated choke, Ninten slammed the spoon onto the tray. He buried his head into his hands.

_It's just a stupid bowl of soup..._

From beneath the table, Eve watched him with worried eyes. **"Nyaaah?"**

A part of Ninten wanted to give up. A part of Ninten wanted to shove the tray aside - call it quits, call it a day. Who cared if he was a bit skinny? Okay, a _lot_ skinny. He'd lived like this for thirteen years, and nothing had changed. It wasn't like he'd gain a normal body weight over the course of mere days.

But Giygas had a good point. Genetics or not, Ninten was _severely_ underweight.

Uncomfortable, Ninten squirmed, cringing at the thought, then pushed it aside. No, if he didn't want to be severely underweight, then then he had to eat, whether or not Giygas was here. And he didn't _just_ have to eat.

He had to eat healthy.

The soup loomed in front of his face like a Level 100 Final Boss. The portion looked immensely large, but Giygas had said that it was the proper serving size.

Ninten hesitated. Did he trust his uncle?

Pushing down his fears, Ninten dragged a spoonful to his mouth.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

On the third day, Giygas finally showed up.

Ninten could've cried with happiness. His skin stung and popped with static electricity, and Ninten swore that his ears were still ringing from each time Eve had tossed him up into the air like a ragdoll.

"We will continue eating breakfast in here," Gigyas said quietly, shutting the door. "Move your textbooks onto the bed."

Ninten hesitated, flickering his eyes up to his face. "Are you...?"

"Pick up your textbooks from the desk, Ken."

The sinking feeling in his gut was back. Swallowing hard, Ninten lifted the pile of textbooks - a feat that would've been impossible a week ago - then set them onto the mattress. The mattress groaned, sinking with the sudden weight.

Giygas pushed the breakfast tray onto the table. "Eat."

Unable to look his uncle in the eye, Ninten did was told. He had thought that their family dinner had been awkward, but this breakfast quickly put that memory to shame.

Finally, Ninten lowered his fork. "I'm sorry."

Still silence.

Embarrassed, Ninten ducked his head-

Cold fingers caught Ninten's arm. "Eat." Giygas curled his nephew's fingers around the fork. "It will do you little good to get sick again."

Ninten couldn't make out his expression, but felt the mood shift into something a little less uncomfortable. Nodding furiously to cover up his embarrassment, Ninten accidentally elbowed his spoon off his tray. Instantly, he jumped out of his seat, but halted when the spoon stopped a centimeter away from the carpet. Spinning like a top, it looped over his head, and plucking it out of thin air, Giygas studied the silverware between his fingertips.

Cheeks burning from humiliation, Ninten bit his lip. "Uh, I-"

"You sound like her." Giygas's eyes flickered to him. They looked faraway. "Whenever you feel embarrassed, angry, or annoyed...I can hear a hint of her in your voice."

Ninten didn't know how to respond.

Giygas spoke again. "But your voice is special, because it is not Maria's...it is yours." Giygas set the spoon back down onto his tray. "Don't be afraid to speak up. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

If possible, Ninten flushed a shade of darker pink. "Thanks," he muttered, lowering his head. "Um, look... I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have brought her up-"

"No. You have a right to know." Giygas picked up the pages of his fallen notes from the floor. "Maria was the first person to have shown me kindness. She adopted me, even though she had such poor health herself."

"I wish I got to know her better," Ninten said quietly, remembering flashes of song, of chocolate-chip cookies melting in his mouth. "Mom told me that she passed away from swine flu-"

"A lie."

Startled, Ninten blinked. "Did my mom-?"

"No. She doesn't know the entire truth, because I never told her." Giyga's eyes flickered to the tea cup in his hands. "When Maria became bedridden, she lost the will to live. She wanted to pass on. I could not acknowledge this fact. I tried to heal her." The fingers tapped again. One, two, three, four. The hand stilled. "She died."

Ninten stared at the bubbling brew. "You didn't mean it."

"Ignorance is a poor excuse for an unforgivable crime."

"She wanted you to let her go-"

"Was it selfish of me not to grant her wish?" Giygas's gaze flitted to his face. Ninten swallowed hard, then dropped his head. He could feel his uncle's silent gaze prickle his skin.

"...No," Ninten said finally.

Giygas lifted his hand. Cold, spindly fingers crawled over Ninten's palm, before gently lighting on the cuff on his wrist. With a strange expression on his face, Giygas released the metal bracelet. "I have decided to let her go."

Ninten looked stunned. "You're giving up?"

"I had nothing to give up from the very beginning."

"But the Seventh Needle-"

"-requires a heart to be pulled," Giygas said quietly, resting his hands on his lap. "I have proven myself unworthy of summoning the Dark Dragon. If I had proceeded with my plan, young Lucas would have lost his life."

"Lucas would've died?!"

"PK Love is the power of the heart. Lucas would have to pass on his heart to the Dragon to set things right."

Ninten tried not to panic. "Fassad has Claus-"

"Claus can't pull the Needle. He has no heart to pass onto the Dark Dragon."

"Claus _does_ have a heart-"

"Fassad sealed it away. Claus is no longer capable of feeling."

"It's not fair. Claus didn't deserve to be...to..." Ninten gripped his fists. "No, I'll find him. There's got to be a way to save both Claus _and_ Lucas." Ninten raised his head. "So...what are you going to do now? Clearly, I can't do crap-" Ninten thrust his arms out to jangle his cuffs. "And you're mental-"

"Bluntly speaking."

"Even if we do end up saving the world," Ninten looked at him. "How are you going to dig yourself out of this mess?"

"I don't plan to."

Ninten's eyes dilated in shock. "What do you mean...?"

"I murdered my foster mother. I am a person incapable of kindness, and have accepted this fact many years ago."

"That makes no sense!"

"No sense? I kidnapped my own students. I razed Saturn Valley. I am a villain, Ken."

"No, you aren't! You're not a villain. You were possessed, and Fassad...Fassad's a villain! You're nothing like him-"

"Fassad is a man who could not let go of his past," Giygas said softly. "How does that make me any different?"

Struggling for a response, Ninten gripped his arm. "You _are_ different."

"Exactly." Giygas extricated his arm from Ninten's grip. "I am no different-"

"You're wrong."

Giygas smiled. An amused, patronizing tone seeped into his voice. "Wrong, am I?"

Ninten turned his eyes to the breakfast tray. "You're the first person who ever believed in me." He could still feel Giygas's eyes on him, but feeling his own eyes burn, Ninten kept his gaze glued to the half-eaten soup. He didn't dare lift his head. "Fassad...Fassad is a jerk who doesn't care a whit about anything or anyone. But _you..._ you're different. You've done some bad things too, but that doesn't make you a villain. It makes you human." Ninten lowered his pencil. "Uncle, if I can believe in myself...then you can keep yourself alive."

Not even a ripple of sound disturbed the surface of the steaming teacup.

"Eight-thirty," Giygas said. "Breakfast is over. Flip your textbook to the chapter review."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

By the end of the third week, Ninten began to get an inkling that something was terribly wrong.

Well, _more_ terribly wrong than usual.

"They should be here by now."

"I suppose so."

"Why haven't they arrived?" Ninten threw him a worried side-glance. "Do you think that they got side-tracked?"

"Only time can tell."

Ninten rested his head against the open textbook. What was the big hold-up? New Pork City was far from Saturn Valley, but it wasn't _that_ far. Especially with Ness's PK Teleport, both of his friends should've arrived earlier. Ninten winced, recalling Lucas's beaten down form. Did something else happen to the duo?

Giygas took a sip of tea. "Time is unraveling, Ken. I suspect that there was another factor beyond my knowledge-"

"We met a time traveler from the future," Ninten said, half-serious, half-joking.

Giygas's lips turned into a thin line. "That makes sense. Because of his interference, time is no longer constant."

"Time isn't constant?" Ninten glanced at his hands. "Is it slowing down?"

"That depends on your view. Time is a mental perception." Giygas checked his watch. "Our time seems to be relatively normal. ManiMani's powers are strong enough to distort time inside Moonside. Because time is already distorted, it seems that we are moving in the "correct" time."

"How about other places?"

"Time has slowed down in other places. Which thankfully, means that your continued absence won't seem as long to your parents. As for _how long,_ I'm not sure."

Ninten noticed the odd way Giygas had pronounced _home_ with a certain dialect as if he didn't belong back in the city. Peering at him, Ninten rested his head against the table. "Tell me about your family."

"Your mother could answer that question-"

"No, I mean...your _real_ family."

"My biological parents?" Giygas lowered his teacup. "There is little to say."

"Please...?"

"What is there to be interested about?"

"A lot of things." Ninten sat up, crossing his legs on the chair. "You were adopted, right? How did it happen? Where were you adopted? Fourside? They have a famous orphanage there-"

"I suppose I can indulge you." Giygas pointed a stern look in his direction. "However, you must pay a penalty."

"A penalty?"

"No more questions until the end."

Ninten made a face. "I'll take it," he said, plopping next to him. "So...?"

"My biological parents were poor." A look of wistfulness flashed across Giygas's face. "When I was three, they could no longer afford to keep me. They sent me to the orphanage in Fourside and promised to return." Giygas paused. "I never saw them again."

The tea cup in his hands sent soft swirls into the winter air.

"Two springs later, a human couple visited the orphanage, seeking a sibling for their granddaughter - your mother. Your maternal grandparents were an irresponsible couple who had abandoned your mother in Maria's care. I don't know what Maria saw in me, but upon her first visit, she wanted to adopt me. I refused. I was still convinced that my old parents would come back for me." Giygas's mouth twitched. "But Maria would not hear the end of it. She stopped by the orphanage every day to keep me company. I suppose she took pity on me because I was lonely. We would sit together on the front steps, waiting for any sign of my parents. At first, I admit she annoyed me, but over time, I grew fond of her. Eventually, Maria went out of her way to track both of my parents down."

Giygas's fingers drummed a rhythm against the desk. One, two, three, four. "By that time, it was too late. My father had long departed from this world. My mother had started an affair with another man, and distraught, my father had divorced her. He died shortly after from lung disease - he always did chew too much tobacco. With a new life and new husband, my mother had no intention of returning for me. With that case closed, Maria posed the adoption to me a second time. I accepted." Giygas's fingers paused on the desk. "That is all."

Ninten blinked at him intently. "Was my mom a nerd?"

"Yes. The biggest nerd in the neighborhood."

Ninten grinned ear to ear. "She sounds a lot like you."

"Of course. We were raised in the same family." Giygas shrugged on his cloak, then set his teacup on the desk. "Come. I wish to give you a tour of this building."

Ninten frowned, glancing at the math textbook. "Don't we have to-"

"You have mastered everything in the past three weeks. I have nothing more to teach you." Giygas tilted his head to the door. "Follow."

Ninten broke into a wide smile, then dashed out with a loud whoop.

Shaking his head, Giygas closed the bedroom door with a resounding finality.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

"Does anyone else live on these floors?"

"No."

"It's such a huge building though..."

"Many of the floors in Empire Pork Building are abandoned. The thirteenth floor is locked for good reason."

"Ooh, spooky. Is it unlucky?"

"No, but there is dried blood splattered on the door."

"What?!"

"Yes. Those unfortunate enough to pass by swear that they can hear the bloodthirsty bite of the Ultimate Chimaera. It devours naughty children who escape out of bed-"

"Ha, you're lying!"

"I wish I were. Ah, here we are. The eighty-fourth floor. After you."

Ninten inhaled sharply. "Woooooah. A Ballroom studio?" His eyes roamed around, drinking in the sight of the polished floor in awe. The unimaginable amount of space was intoxicating, but Ninten finally tore his gaze away to peer up at his uncle. "How did you know I liked Ballroom dancing?"

"I had a hunch," Giygas said airily.

"You're no fun."

"And you're a bundle of joy."

Ninten stuck out his tongue, then hopped across the floor, expertly testing the ground with his foot. "It's not slippery like the school gym. I like that." Ninten looked up. Giygas was watching him from the corner of the room like an overgrown vampire. Rolling his eyes, Ninten waved him over. "It's really nice! You should try dancing!"

"I'll pass."

Making a face, Ninten scuffed his shoe on the floor. It had the perfect grip, not too much to make him stumble, and enough to keep his form fluid. For a hundred-fifty year old place, the Ballroom was squeaky clean, sparkling without an ounce of dust.

Heh, Claus hated sterile places. This floor would totally make him flip his shit for sure.

At the sudden thought, Ninten's face fell.

This time, Ninten heard his uncle before he felt the hand on his shoulder. It was such a familiar gesture now that Ninten didn't bother brushing it off.

"Ken..."

Curious, Ninten raised his head.

Looking unusually uncomfortable, Giygas flickered his eyes to the side. "I'm working on it."

Ninten blinked. "Huh?"

"You are quite right. The dance floor is also an illusion." Giygas walked away, then slumped over on an abandoned bench. "One of my many illusions..."

Something urged his own feet forward, and Ninten trailed after him. "Uncle...?"

No response.

Ninten flickered his eyes across the magnificent ceiling. The mosaic glittered like a constellation, shimmering with the luster of a thousand diamonds. The winking figures of four boys were depicted at each corner, and Ninten traced the smallest one with his eyes. "I can't imagine having to live without talking to anyone for years," he said quietly, watching the legendary mosaics laugh overhead. "If I had to live with _illusions_ of people, it'd be enough to drive me insane. Like...didn't you ever feel lonely?"

"No. With a plan in mind, I never thought once about craving human company."

"Oh." Ninten stared at his own reflection. "So...do you have a plan _now?"_

Giygas buried his head into his hands. "No, I don't," he whispered, voice shaking. "For the first time in my life, I don't have a plan...I am unraveling..."

"I think you're doing a good job of keeping it together," Ninten said, encouraging him. "I'd have already lost it with Fassad-"

"Fassad cannot be defeated." Giygas repeated, lifting his head up. "He is a Magypsy. The life of a Magypsy is tied to his corresponding Needle. Only when the Needle is pulled, can a Magypy truly die. Otherwise, they dissolve, only to materialize later into existence." A flicker of shame entered his voice. "Fassad has been very patient with me. Over the years, before I lacked the proper control to control my Demon...he had been dissolved many times."

Ninten winced. "Ouch."

"He wanted a new world full of his own happiness. I couldn't refuse. As long as Maria was alive, I did not care about the future of mankind." Giygas's voice turned bitter. "I was a fool."

"But I don't get it." Ninten frowned. "You said that Fassad wanted to pull his own Needle."

"That is correct."

"Wouldn't that _kill_ him, rendering his dream totally useless?"

An identical frown creased Giygas's forehead. "I suppose so. I have asked him many times, but he would never give me a straight answer."

A chill ran down Ninten's spine. The suicidal _do-or-die _plot, if anything, seemed to make Fassad sound even more sinister than he already was.

A sudden weightlessness filled Ninten; Giygas must have lifted his hand from his shoulder. "I have no plan," he said again in a quiet voice. "The only thing I could guarantee was your safety."

Startled by the implication, Ninten reeled back. The weight of the entire situation had finally hit him. "You broke off your alliance because of me."

Giygas turned around. "Come. I want to show you the city of Moonside."

A silly grin spread across Ninten's face, and he followed suit. Shortly after retracing their steps to take the elevator down to the main lobby (_Welcome to Moonside),_ Giygas halted in his tracks.

"...The winter chill is a formidable foe," he said at last.

Confused, Ninten looked up.

With careful hands, Giygas lowered his arms to Ninten's neck. Something soft brushed against his skin, and Ninten raised his hands to touch the scarf around his neck.

"So that you don't get sick," Giygas said quietly.

Wrapping it over his face, Ninten breathed into the blue scarf. "Thanks."

With barely a nod, Giygas pushed open the front doors.

Ninten's eyes widened.

The sky was as pitch black as night. Around them, carnival lights flashed in dazzling lines of fluorescent color. Nearby, a joyful scream rose and fell as a rollercoaster shot past. On the sidelines, people laughed, clasped each other's hands in a merry-go-around. The aroma of buttery popcorn and sweet cotton candy wafted into their nose. Fireworks _wheeeeed,_ popped, and crackled into laughter above their heads.

It was a thirteen-year-old's fantasy.

Something prodded Ninten in the back. "Take the lead."

Ninten snapped his head up. "But it's only three in the afternoon," he protested, despite giving longing looks at the fair around them. "What's the catch?"

"There is no catch. We are caught up to the new material. There is nothing left to learn." Giygas's eyes flickered to the fireworks. "Spend the day as you wish."

Ninten stared at him. Slowly, the silly grin spread across his face for the second time that day.

The dam finally burst.

Excited words rambling incoherently past his clumsy lips, Ninten tugged his uncle along, dragging him towards the _KING OF TERROR_ rollercoaster. Giygas followed, albeit reluctantly, one hand on the black bowler hat on his head - _since when did he start wearing hats?_ That thought sailed out the window as soon as Ninten plopped down onto the seat of the ride.

Giygas hesitantly followed. "I am not good with heights."

Ninten's smile widened into his trademark vampire grin. "I know."

As soon as the ride ended, Giygas emerged, pale-faced and half-traumatized from the experience. Looking less worn for wear, Ninten whooped, dragging him off to the next ride - another rollercoaster. Needless to say, Giygas would be walking around on wobbly legs for a while.

At one point during the _Upside-Down Tea Cup Swirl,_ Giygas's black bowler hat fell off.

Ninten clapped his hands. "I get it now!"

"Get what?" Giygas snapped, trembling and quaking in his shoes.

"You wear a hat-" Ninten pointed. "Because you're bald!"

Giygas closed his eyes. Black hair sprouted from his head. "I choose to keep it cut," he said icily. "Refrain from making unflattering comments about my appearance."

Ninten's grin widened. "Ha, ha. You're bald."

Shaking the hair from his face, Giygas threw him the _stern teacher_ look, and Ninten clamped his mouth shut before his uncle could start assigning detentions left and right.

With a grunt, Giygas conjured another hat out of thin air and pressed it solidly atop his head. "You are insane. We've been on every ride three times."

"You're right. I'm kind of getting sick of rides," Ninten admitted, lowering his hands. "It's not too much fun without my friends..."

Giygas's eyes flickered to the side.

Catching the look, Ninten hastily tried to take back the words. "No, I mean, it's fun with you too, but it's just...I don't think I should be having fun when everyone else isn't."

Giygas suddenly seemed hard of hearing. "We've missed a place," he said, steering Ninten to the direction of a darts stand.

"_Five bullseyes to win a prize?_" Ninten read. Jumping to the tips of his toes, Ninten eagerly peered over the counter, and as if on cue, the cabin lit up with toys of stuffed-

"PENGUINS!"

"Indeed," Giygas said dryly.

Ninten's face brightened up from excitement. "They're my favorite animals."

"Why so?"

Ninten paused. "I dunno. They can't fly, and they're crap at walking...but they can swim really well. Plus they don't give two shits - sorry-" he said hastily after Giygas frowned. "-I mean, they don't give a crap about what they can't do."

"I believe it's _Natural Selection._"

Ninten shrugged, then wound up a dart. It nailed the board right on the spot. "I've always liked to think that penguins were pretty awesome. They still are, by the way. Awesome."

"They are admirable," Giygas agreed.

"What's your favorite animal?"

"My favorite animal?"

A toss. A second bullseye. Ninten raised his arm. Sticking the corner of his tongue out, he tilted his head, squinting at the target. "Yeah. Everyone's got one, right?"

A third bullseye. A fourth.

"Humans," Giygas said quietly.

The fifth dart missed the board entirely.

Ninten whirled around laughing, clutching his stomach. "Humans?"

"They are not all so bad," Giygas admitted, flickering his eyes to the side. "Some are...all right."

Ninten grinned. "Are you talking about me?"

"Absolutely not. Take that ridiculous notion out of your head." Giygas scowled, dropping a spare dart into his nephew's surprised palm. "Don't you have a prize to win?"

Ninten threw the dart. It hit its mark. "Not anymore." Beaming, Ninten opened his arms wide. _"Penguuuuuuin!"_

Like a magnet, the stuffed animal flew into his arms, and drunk on happiness, Ninten giggled, rubbing his face into the soft, feathery plush.

"Are you done celebrating?" Giygas said dryly.

Ninten buried his face into the plushie, muffling his voice. "No. I want to bask in this moment forever."

Giygas prodded his back. "That can wait. We will watch the fireworks by the lake."

Peering over the plushie, Ninten frowned. "What lake?"

Giygas opened his palms. Purple sparks lit up the night sky, twisting and turning into the shape of a glowing maw. Two cat-like eyes blinked open, and with a wide yawn, the starlit lion stretched his glowing limbs.

Light reflected the awe from Ninten's eyes.

Shaking its glittering mane, the lion let out an impressive roar to the heavens before bursting into a rapid cascade of blue sparkles. Catching the waterfall of PSI in his hands, Giygas closed his hands before releasing a majestic bubble of water. The bubble floated over their heads, and within, a thousand fantastic creatures swam around in perfect harmony.

"This is amazing," Ninten whispered, leaning over to touch the surface of the bubble. A penguin nudged his palm with a happy trill, then swam off in a flurry of flippers.

"Not all illusions are to be feared." Giygas flicked his fingers. The bubble burst open, twisting around them into a shower of rushing water. Glowing shades of blue light washed over their skin, and with a peaceful gurgle, the rainbow shimmer of water collected at their feet into a tiny lake. Droplets of moisture laughed, tinkling across the surface like flying fish, and every once in a while, a penguin lifted its head out of the water with a curious _meep_.

Above their heads, the fireworks exploded into glowing embers.

Giygas reached into his pocket, then pulled something out. "Here."

Confused, Ninten fingered the sturdy piece of paper in his hands, then flipped it over. It was the Mr. Saturn postcard.

"I found this in your pocket during your fever." Giygas tapped his fingers. "This picture postcard possesses magical properties. Write the name of the receiver, and the Postcard will deliver, no matter where the sender is."

Ninten traced the edges of the picture postcard. Ness's voice rang in his ears.

**_"You wanna send Ana a postcard?"_**

It seemed like a million years ago that they were just joking around in Saturn Valley like no tomorrow.

Something hard poked Ninten in the thigh. "Pen?"

"Thanks." Ninten gripped it, then taking a deep breath, then scribbled something onto the postcard. After the finishing touch, Ninten hugged his plushie around its waist. "I want to send Pengie over too."

Giygas raised an eyebrow. "Pengie?"

"It's important to me," Ninten said breathlessly. His cheeks prickled with warmth. "I want Ana to accept me for who I am..."

Without a word, Giygas touched the plushie with two fingers. The postcard glowed, snuggling itself into Pengie's arms, then with a pop, disappeared out of sight.

Ninten fell onto his back, shellshocked. "Oh, god._ I did it._ I sent her a postcard."

Giygas raised an eyebrow. "Was it that difficult?"

"No. Surprisingly, no." Ninten broke into a smile. A strange confidence shone in his shining amber eyes. Underneath the fireworks, Ninten's cheeks glowed with a rosy pink that lent his pale face life. "I'm glad I did it. I want to know what she says, but until then...I'm fine with waiting. She's worth it."

Another firework flashed across the night sky like a shooting star.

Suddenly, Giygas refused to meet his eyes. "You seem much healthier."

"I am," Ninten said softly.

"Happier too."

Ninten broke into a genuine grin.

A sharp clatter hit their ears. The sudden surge of power spiked into his limbs, and surprised, Ninten glanced at his wrists. The metal cuffs had fallen agape onto the ground.

"I have returned your powers." Giygas's eyes flickered to the side. "Your friends are at Saturn Valley. You will be safer there with them."

Startled, Ninten jerked his head up. "What... what do you mean?"

"I have already contacted Eve. She will drop in shortly to take you there."

"What about you?"

"I am losing my mind. I cannot keep you safe from Fassad any longer." Giygas rose to his feet. "Now that you have no further attachment to stay here, you are free to leave-"

A pair of arms tackled him from behind.

Giygas's tone sounded cold. "Let go."

Ninten squeezed his eyes shut. Shaking his head, Ninten gripped him tighter. His entire form was shaking.

Giygas spoke again. "You are causing me unnecessary distress-"

"No."

_"Ken."_

"No!" A muffled sob. "You can't..."

Giygas slowly reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder. "Ken, don't make me hurt you," he said quietly, prying his hands off. "Wait here. Eve will arrive shortly."

"Then come with me!"

Giygas gave a quiet laugh. His shoulders sagged. "Eight years of insanity," he murmured, resting a hand against his head. "I am tired, Ken. I want to rest..."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Ken-"

"Don't say my name like you know better!" Ninten snapped, lifting his head. "You saved my life. Well, then it's time for me to return the favor. I'm not leaving, and if you even think about using Eve to drag me away, then forget about it. She can't stop me."

"You are mistaken. Eve possesses above average intelligence-"

"WATCH ME!" Ninten stomped his foot, then ran away.

Watching his rapidly shrinking figure, Giygas couldn't suppress the patronizing quirk of his lips. "I don't see the point of this exercise-"

Ninten vanished.

Giygas blinked in surprise, only for his nephew materialize back in a shower of ash. "PK Teleport...?"

"PSI fever," Ninten said, looking quite pleased with himself. A flush of adrenaline had entered his windblown cheeks. "From now on, I can go anywhere I want, and I won't have to depend on anyone to help me. That also means you, uncle. You can't tell me what to do. You can't order me around anymore. No one can! _Ahahaha-!"_

A flick of PSI, and Ninten tripped, falling flat on his face.

Amused, Giygas withdrew his fingers. "You still have much to learn."

"I hate you!"

"The feeling is mutual."

Ninten peeled his face off the floor. His eyes suddenly looked hopeful. "Does that mean that you'll let me stay...?"

Giygas turned away to the Empire Pork Building. "If you can catch up," Came the dry voice. "I might change my mind."

Ninten had never jumped to his feet so quickly in his life.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Weightless and free, Ninten waded through the sea of darkness once more.

Something loomed in the distance of his dream, and curious, Ninten stepped closer. A dead end. He stopped, waiting before the barred gate of twin arches. The sound of a thousand condemned souls cut into the silence, their contorted cries raking into his ears. Tiny, tormented hands slithered out, nabbing his tattered shirt, tugging at his fingers, yanking at his shoes.

_Hide!_ they whispered in terror.

_Save us!_

_Turn back!_

_It's here!_

A breath of foul wind blew them aside. It smelled of rotting corpses and raw blood.

**"YoU sMeLL sO dELICious..."**

A fluttery tongue snaked out, sliding between the bars of the gate to lick his neck. Ninten flinched, trying hard not to vomit from the putrid smell.

**"MMmmm... ...yOur feAR tASteS sWEet...lIKe FleSH aNd boNE..."**

Ninten swatted the tongue away. It felt moist and disgustingly soft in his hands, branding them with the mark of slimy green saliva, and Ninten jumped back, feeling the slick tongue slobber over his hair. One eye, a narrow slit in the darkness, snicked open.

**"Eye sEE You."**

"I know."

The tongue withdrew. An eerie grin, wide and knowing, curled around unseen lips. **"YoU HaTE Me. We'Re bOTh DEspICaBLe, aReN't wE? YEt oNLy oNe oF US iS ThE pRIdeFuL fOOl." **Another reptilian snick, and the eye blinked.** "YoU'vE aLWayS bEeN FraIL. WeAk. ArRoGaNT. A DiSApPOiNtmEnT tO YoUR fRiends AnD faMiLy."**

Ninten clenched his fists. "Why did you bring me here?"

The eye closed. With a ripple of darkness, it solidified and took shape. His double faced him with lifeless pupils, two bright pinpricks in the gloom. **"yOu cALLed fOR mY heLP."**

"Um, no. Last time I checked, I didn't." Ninten turned around. "Goodbye-"

**"FoOL. dON'T dIsMiSS mY pREsEncE."**

"You're the one giving my uncle a hard time. _You're_ the reason why he's so twisted."

**"i caNNoT hELp iT. i grOW sTRongEr wiTH tHe SOulS i hAvE eATeN." **A snick.** "hUMaN inFLECtIOns taINt mY pERsONaLIty. wHeN yOU fiRst meT mE, I wAS tALkiNG tHRouGH yOur UnCle. hE cOUlD bAReLy HaNDLe mY pREsEnCe. i alMOst drOve hIM inSAne."** Another snick.** "YoU tHInk i aM uGlY? yOuR uNCle'S DesIRes ChANNellED mE InTO sOMetHINg UGLieR. hE aSKed fOR mY hELp. i sPLit hiS CONscIEnCe fROm hIS MInd."**

"Why should I believe you?"

**"beCaUSE iT is ThE TrUTh. yOU caLL tO hIS cOnsCienCe. iT iS tHerE, LURkInG sOMewHerE iN tHe cORnErS oF hIS mINd."**

"You possessed him."

**"hE LET mE. ****eVERyoNE dOEs." **A snick. **"i aM MaNI-MaNI, mASteR of iLLusIons, dEMoN oF mAnKInD. MoRTAls hArNEsS mY vASt pOWEr aT tHe eXpENsE oF LosINg thEIr MInDs. tHOse wHo cANnoT hANdLe tEmpTAtiOn wIll bE dRIVen tO iNSaniTy. tHEy bECoMe mY nExT MEaL."**

Ninten closed his eyes. "There's more. You want something. If Giygas managed to pull the Seventh Needle...What was in it for you?"

**"tHAt WhIcH i hAVe beEn deNieD fOr ceNturIeS..."**

"Which is?"

A whisper. A sigh.

**"i fInaLLy sEe yOUr tRue pURpOSe."** Dark pupils burned deep into Ninten's sockets.** "yOU wIll fAll, yOUr PRidE sUNkEn tO yOUr lOw. yOU wiLL bEg fOR mERcY, KnEELinG oN yOuR BaRE kNeeS, yOur PrAYerS ABSorBeD bY DArkNeSS. hUMan chILd, ****oPEN foRTh tHE GAteS oF HeLL aND sET Me fREE...!****"**

Ninten clenched his jaw. "I doubt it."

**"tHe tIMe iS nOt rIGht. nOt nOW. BuT SooN. vErY sOOn."** Another snick of the eyelid.** "yOUr uNCle wILL cruMBle aNd FaLL. eVeRY sOUL i'vE sWALLowEd tASteS tHE sAMe. I wONder...wHAT WiLL yOU tASte lIKe? sAlTy? bIttEr? LiKE uNCle, lIKe nEPhEw-"**

"You won't win this time. You won't take my uncle. I'll destroy you, even if it's the last thing I do."

His double paused, then flashed him a demonic grin. **"pROve mE wROnG, hUMaN cHIld. i cAN't wAIt tO sEe wHAt yOU aRe cAPabLe Of."**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Here's the next half of the chapter. I'm not satisfied parts of it (THE CHEESE UGH), but it'll have to do for now. ****I'll respond to PMs later. Unexpected things arose, and I'm in one heck of a time crunch. As always, thank you for reading! Hope you enjoy. :)**

**Shimo no ko:** Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the dynamic. While Claus comes more naturally to me, Ninten is a little more difficult to get right. XD

**Connor:** Hey bro! Thanks for the input! I appreciate it. :) Like Holy crap that essay of words. XD I'm surprised considering you're in college and all hahaha. Yeah, no I get your feel! To this day and age, I still don't understand how I was able to write just Ninten and Giygas in ~ 10k words. Like whaaat? XD Heh, the title of fantasy novelist should go to you. Little Ms. Med School here. ;) I hope I finish this before I matriculate haha. Yeah, 10 hours of math would suck balls. I liked trig though. I wonder how many people would be able to understand the question in this chapter. It's not too difficult if you have the proper background. And thanks. :) While writing this story out, the "timeless" aspect of my tone just...came to me. I liked it, it clicked, and now I can't re-read former chapters without going "HOLY CRAP WHAT IS DIS TONE?!" XD

**EarthboundWarrior:** No, thank YOU for reading this fic. I wouldn't have gone far without readers like you. :) Also aHHHHh I'm flattered that you felt inspired by this fanfic. Trust me, it still has such a long way to go. :) But writing is such a beautiful hobby. Never give that up. *Showers you with confetti*


	36. Happy Town?

**Author's Note: **

**Edited chapters 2, 9, and 10 to give more insight into Ninten's family life and inheritance of PSI. It's been a while, so some refreshers ****to keep in mind:**

**(1) PSI is ALWAYS inherited (Exception: See number 4). You can't get PSI randomly, and vice versa. Someone can live their entire life without Awakening their powers, but the gene will still pass on.**

**(2) A Dormant psychic has a higher chance of being Awakened around exposure to other Awakened psychics.**

**(3) Dalaam gave birth to the first psychics. **

**(4) In Dalaam, a long time ago, the first psychics were humans who received their powers from the Dark Dragon. Among these were the Magypsies. Fassad et al were once humans before they became the Magypsies and turned immortal.**

**(5) Swine flu decimated Giygas's generation of psychics... but that isn't to say that all of them died. ;) **

**"THEN WAIT A MINUTE," YOU ASK. "HOW THE HECK ARE THERE PSYCHICS IN ONETT?"**

**...Happy reading. :)**

* * *

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

_The buzzing hangover woke him out of his stupor. __With a grimace, Flint slowly rolled his head over. Lighter was slumped in his kitchen stool, eyes half-lidded from drink. _

_Flint wasn't surprised. __It didn't take much for Lighter to get inebriated. __Lightweight_, _Flint used to call him._

_And drunk, Lighter would giggle and shove him in the shoulder. "You're as Flinty as ever," he'd shoot back._

_A clunk. A clatter._

_Lighter swiveled around in his seat._

_"Hey. Hey, Flint," Lighter slurred, clapping a heavy hand on his back. "Flint. My man. You...you have it hard. You have it hard, man." Another clap on the back. "I loved her. Hinawa. I loved her, you know. Since we were kids. Even after she chose you, man." Lighter hiccuped. His eyes pinged with tears. "She loved you. She loved you, man. She...she don't like to see you drinking. You can't keep doing this to yourself, man. You know? Man."_

_Flint only adjusted the brim of his hat._

_Lighter laughed. "You were always like a lil' bro, man. Annoying lil' bro, man. Like, we'd fist fight an' stuff...remember that time I broke your arm? Good old times. Hinawa threw a right fit over that one. Slapped a sucker punch right in my noggin'. She's always hated me for treating you like shit. Maybe that's why she chose you in the end. But she not here anymore. She gone."_

_"Lighter."_

_"But that's okay." Lighter clumsily patted his childhood friend on the head. "You...As...As your senpai, I'll have to look out for you, you know?"_

_"Lighter."_

_"You saved my son. Fuel woulda died in that burning house if it hadn't been for you. My wife...well, it was too late for her - God bless her name - but you saved my son. You saved him. I'll never forget that, man."_

_Realizing that Lighter was in no condition to listen, Flint lowered his head._

_Lighter hiccuped._ _"The kids...how are the kids holding up, man?" Flint didn't respond, but Lighter didn't notice, shaking his own bottle and frowning into its sloshing contents. "I saw Lucas the other day. It's been a month since the accident, hasn't it? He's still crying at Hinawa's grave. Breaks my poor heart into two, man. And Claus..." Lighter's frown deepened. "He don't do no crying. He like...He kind of looks like you, man. Got that serious look on his face, like he's about to do something stupid." Lighter peered into his eyes. "Flint...when joo last speak wid jour sons?"_

_Flint shifted in his seat. "Hinawa's always known how to take care of kids. Not me. I work-"_

_"Work, work, work!" Lighter slammed the glass onto the counter. "Man, you can't do this to your sons!"_

_"I have to work. We blew all the savings on hospital bills. Life support..." Flint's mouth suddenly went dry. "If I work hard, the farm can support us again. But Hinawa's right. The kids are smart. They'll go to school. They'll learn what they need to know. Get better jobs, earn a better living-"_

_"THEY'RE YOUR SONS."_

_"They don't need me."_

_"You're not even tryin', are you?!" Lighter jabbed a finger into his direction, but with his unbalanced coordination, nearly toppled face first into the counter. "Flint, you are one hell of a pussy."_

_Flint furrowed his brow. "My sons have to learn how to stand upright on their own. They're strong, Lighter-"_

_"You a pussy. You the biggest pussy in the world." Lighter's laugh petered out into another hiccup. "You always let Hinawa fight your battles for you. Look where that got her - splattered bloody on a bloody windshield. She died...but she saved them. She saved your sons. Lookit you! Proud aren't yah now, tossing your sons onto a silver platter to God like first class gutter trash?! You pussy-"_

_Flint shoved him hard in the chest, and Lighter stumbled backwards into a wooden table._

_Lighter had the gall to giggle at that, the bastard. "You fucked up, Flint. Admit it. You fucked up real bad." But __Lighter clapped a reassuring hand onto his back. "Ah, Flint. Flint, my man. You and your excuses, man. Seriously, fuck money. Fuck that shit." The warm hand on Flint's back sluggishly slid up to ruffle his hair. "Go home. Your sons need you."_

_Flint lowered his arms to his sides. _

_Catching his expression, Lighter shook his head. "Flint...You're a damn fool. A hopeless case. 'Course they need you. They need you as much as you need them." Lighter hiccuped, looping an arm around Flint's shoulders and steering him to the door. "I'm kicking you out. Fuel's got Sunday School tomorrow, man."_

_A quiet response escaped from Flint's mouth. "Thanks, Lighter."_

_"You bet." __Lighter closed the door. _

_Flint breathed out, letting his lonely breath spiral into the cold air. __The stars above twinkled, lighting the streets he knew by heart. There stood the stone well in the center of town, faded and old, yet dignified with an ancient grandeur. There lay the snow-kissed sunflower fields, stretching its arms for miles on end. __There twisted the cobbled sidewalk where once upon a time, Hinawa had kissed him for the very first time..._

_His heavy boots shuffled out into the chill of night. _

_Tazmily had changed. More people were moving to Onett. Convenient, they said. Higher pay, they said. What was a small, dinky neighborhood like Tazmily to compare?_

_And his sons..._

_Their faces materialized into his head: Claus eagerly waving his hands for another piggyback ride, Lucas giggling whenever Flint tickled his sides._

_**What was he doing out here?**_

_Nostalgia hit Flint right in the heart, and all so suddenly, Flint wanted to be there; he wanted to go home, to wipe away Lucas's tears, to tell Claus that it was going to be all right. He missed their twin faces brightening up into identical smiles, missed hearing their happy laughter whenever they wrestled each other down the stairs for Hinawa's first omelet of the day._

_As if of their own accord, fingers fumbled for the cellphone in his pocket. A million scenarios raced through his head. Yes, he would call home. As expected, Claus would pick up the phone. Claus would tell his crying brother that daddy called, that daddy was coming home, that daddy was going to fix everything. And Flint would return home with his arms full of flowers and toys (because come to think of it, he hadn't bought the twins any presents since the car accident on Christmas Eve, had he?), an apology resting on his lips and hope fluttering in his heart-_

_The phone screen flickered on._

_One unread message. Fifteen missed calls. Three voicemails: two from home, one from an unknown cell. Tearing his eyes from the flickering screen, Flint jammed the button._

_Voicemail One. A petrified voice, desperate and terrified._

_It was Claus._

_"DAD, HELP! I-!" Background noise - Static crackled through speakers as if the caller had dropped the phone against solid concrete. "-ucas! Lucas, wake up! WAKE UP! DAD, LUCAS ISN'T-"_

_A beep. Voicemail two._

_"DAD! DADDY, PLEASE!" A sob distorted Claus's voice. "I-It was an accident, and - please, p-please...HELP ME, DAD!" A hysterical scream. "HE'S BLEEDING! DAD, HE'S NOT MOVING! Wh-What do I do?! Lucas? LUCAS! Lucas, p-please...please, wake up-!"_

_A beep. Voicemail three._

_A quiet voice. "Flint, this is Duster. If you get this call, we're at the General Hospital in downtown Onett." Flint's blood turned to ice. As if reading his mind, Duster hastily continued, "Your sons are fine. I don't know what happened, but from the sounds of it, Claus took off with your hunting knife in the dead of night. Thankfully, Lucas caught him in the outskirts of Sunshine forest, but there was a scuffle, and Lucas received a nasty concussion. He's unconscious, but the nurses did a quick check up. Lucas is all right. When he wakes up, I'll drive the boys back home."_

_His heart flying into his throat, Flint pulled up the last text. _

_**We're back. **__I__t was sent hours ago._

_Lucas. Claus._

_His sons...His two precious sons..._

_Flint bolted home. He tore through the field of dead crops, paying no heed to the ones he trampled - because his sons, HIS sons needed him - and in time, the happy yellow fence of the farmhouse peeked into view. Ramming his shoulder against the gate of the wooden fence, which rattled and swung hard on its hinges, Flint flung the front door open with a sweaty palm-_

_Duster lifted his head from the kitchen table. A weary relief entered the college student's eyes. __"They're upstairs."_

_Flint muttered a word of thanks before heading into the hallway, flying up the stairs two at a time. __The bedroom was open. The soft glow of moonlight washed over the walls, and with a painstaking agony, Flint stepped inside._

_Lucas was sprawled out with his back against the mattress. His chest rose and fell in deep slumber (His youngest son had always a deep sleeper, hadn't he?). Exhaling a sigh of relief, Flint dragged his heavy footsteps over, and lowered his hand to stroke his son's hair. Lucas relaxed; his warm breaths tickled the back of Flint's calloused palm._

_Lucas didn't look injured. __In fact, snoring loudly, Lucas was happily oblivious to his tiny feet dangling off the edge of the bed. _

_Flint suppressed a smile. __Sleep brought out different sides to his sons. Loud, hyperactive Claus was a silent sleeper. Quiet, meek Lucas was as noisy as a baby drago._

_"Let's move you up," Flint said, and w__ith a grunt, slid Lucas up to a more comfortable position. As he did so,__ an odd discoloration caught his eye. With a frown, Flint brushed the soft bangs from his son's forehead._

_A murky bruise stretched across Lucas's temple._

_Stunned, Flint stared at the bruise. He lowered his hands, resting them against the bed. As he did so, __the mattress squeaked, dipping under his weight._

_Its second occupant stirred._

_Uttering a sleepy noise, Claus furrowed his forehead and involuntarily fumbled for the bare space at his side. Not feeling his brother nearby, he groggily pushed himself up, patting the bed with his hands.__ His eyes fluttered open. "...Dad?"_

_"I'm right here, son."_

_"Where's...?" ___Spotting Lucas sleeping a little distance away, Claus's panicked expression eased. Claus crawled over, __managing to wrap his arms around his brother's waist. Burying his head into Lucas's hair, a happy noise escaped from Claus's lips. "Lucas..."__

_Flint tucked Claus under the covers._

_Claus blinked, as if noticing him for the first time. __"Where were you, dad?" _

_Not knowing what to say, Flint settled for resting his other hand on Claus's head. His palm looked large in comparison. "Daddy had a few things to take care of," he said gruffly. "What were you thinking, running off with my hunting knife?"_

_ Claus uneasily fisted the sheet in his tiny hands. "But you said if we needed help, you'd always be there for us. You said so..."_

_"Daddy's here now." Flint pried the sheets out of his Claus's hands. " Go to sleep."_

_Claus blinked his watery eyes. He didn't look the least bit fooled. "Dad..." he whispered. "You went out drinking again, didn't you?"_

_Flint uncomfortably shifted in place. _

_His eldest son had always been too clever for his own good._

_When Flint didn't respond, Claus sniffled, looking dismayed. "Dad__...I thought you said anything could come true, as long as we prayed from the bottom of our hearts? I prayed hard and hard, but you never came..." Claus scrunched his eyes. "And mom...Mom can't even punish me anymore now. I... don't want it like this..." _

_Something lodged itself into Flint's throat. A sour taste pervaded his tongue; Flint was somehow unable to meet his son's eyes. "Daddy's sorry. Daddy's sorry, Claus-"_

_"You're always sorry." Another sniffle. Claus's anguished gaze, betrayed and hurt, pierced through his soul. __"You promised..." Moisture filled Claus's eyes. He tugged his hand out of his father's grasp, then clung tighter onto Lucas's arm. "You promised, daddy. You said no more drinking."_

_"Daddy wasn't drinking-"_

_"Yes, you were!" Tears freely streamed down Claus's cheeks. He hugged Lucas close to his chest. Another sob racked through his tiny frame. "You're a liar. Liar, liar, pants on fire!"_

_Lucas stirred with a whimper._

_Ears perking up at the sound, Claus quickly rubbed his wet eyes with his sleeve, then irritably crawled over to push Flint aside with his tiny hands. "Mmh!"_

_Flint let himself fall back, watching them, but Claus had already turned around for his brother._

_ "Lucas?__" Claus whispered, suddenly afraid. _

_Sweat dotting his tiny forehead, poor Lucas twisted and turned, trapped in a terrible nightmare. "Claus-"_

_Snuggling close to his side, Claus pressed his warm cheek against his. "I'm right here."_

_"Claus...!" _

_"Shhh," Claus mumbled, stroking his brother's sweaty hair. "You're gonna wake the ol' cranky man next door."_

_Lucas squirmed, emitting another soft cry, b__ut Claus repeated the strokes, whispering reassuring words under his breath. Sinking into the pillows, Lucas gradually relaxed under the soothing touch, then cuddled __up against him with a sigh. __Satisfied, Claus protectively hugged him, then pressed his lips against the bruise on his brother's temple._

_"Eww..." Lucas muttered in his sleep._

_"You're ew," Claus said, but pressed his lips against his brother's bruise a second time. Despite himself, the strong sense of relief was evident on Claus's face._

_It didn't look like Claus had gotten much sleep, if at all. It couldn't have been an easy feat for someone his age, waking up every now and then to check on his younger brother. Claus must have been tired._

_But the face Flint saw said otherwise. __Small arms wrapped around his brother for dear life, Claus looked about ready to fight anything. _

_Sensing the unwanted feeling of being watched, __Claus turned to face him with reproachful eyes. "You almost woke him."_

_"I did," Flint said absentmindedly, his gaze instead preoccupied by the bangs shielding Lucas's bruise. From what Duster had told him, Lucas had received a nasty concussion. The thought sent an uneasy ripple of concern through his mind. Was Lucas all right? Flint took a step forward. "Let me see-"_

_"No!" Claus snapped, curling himself around his brother. "He's **mine."**_

_"You do that," Flint said, tired and unwilling to fight his seven-year-old son. His son couldn't take watch forever. Claus would fall asleep soon, and Flint could take over then._

_"He's mine," Claus repeated, burying his face into his brother's shirt. He inhaled deeply. This time, his voice sounded sleepy. "I'm gonna take care of him...better than you ever did."_

_Adjusting the brim of his hat, Flint rose to his feet. _

_Claus's sleepy voice tickled his ears. "Dad..." __Flint looked back into his direction. Even as a child, Claus's stubborn blue eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, burning with a strange power. "Why were you drinking?"_

_Flint's __lips went dry. __What was he to say to that innocent question? Much less to a child who barely understood the meaning of loss?_

_Even now, the bitter taste of his shameful sin tingled on his tongue. _

_So instead, Flint found himself saying, "Daddy wasn't drinking."_

_And upon hearing that hated phrase, his seven-year-old son fell silent, studied him with a look of pure distrust, then spoke four words that punched a deep hole into his chest._

**_"I hate you, dad."_**

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

This winter was as bitter as the last.

A figure, bent and broken, exhaled a puff of breath into the cold air. The weight of heavy depression upon his brow sank his footsteps deeper into the damp snow. An old glove, weary and worn, dusted off a thin layer of frost seeping onto the icy gravestone. With surprising tenderness, the man knelt down, then gently tugged off his own scarf, wrapping it around the gravestone. Patting down the cloth with clumsy fingers, he crouched, silently admiring his own handiwork.

"Good morning, Hinawa."

Of course, she never responded. She was just that - a tombstone. A dead tombstone who would never talk again.

But somehow Flint found himself here of all places. Talking to her like any other day. Changing the flowers like any other day. With a rustle, Flint slipped out a special, brown-paper covered package from his coat.

Sunflowers.

Tearing the package open, Flint steadily patted the vibrant petals over the funeral vase. "I brought you flowers."

The aroma of sunshine whispered into the clearing.

Flint stared at the gravestone, then slipped his hat off his head, bowing his head. "I wish you were here," he said quietly. "I'm not good...with kids. With children. Our children. You would have raised them better." His grip on the hat tightened. "I failed. I promised to keep our sons safe..."

He didn't know whom he was promising anymore.

"Wait here and rest easy. Today...will be different. Today, I will find them..." His hat dropped from his frostbitten fingers.

A ragged intake of breath. His breath spiraled into the air.

A husky whisper escaped from between clenched teeth, and he fell, gripping the icy ground with weather-beaten fingers. Flint closed his eyes, but Lucas's crying was too painful to hear, Claus's spiteful words too loud in his ears.

His broad, steady shoulders shook.

Flint would continue searching. He would trek the mountains a hundred times over, call out his sons' names a thousand times - _tens of__ thousands of times -_ until his voice broke and became no more. He would die than give up even the slightest hope of hearing a response, because death was nothing, _nothing_ compared to losing both his wife and sons-

_Dad, help us. Dad, save us._

One voice. Anything.

Anything to prove that his sons were safe.

Anything to prove that his sons were alive.

A last word dropped from his numb lips.

"Hinawa..."

There was no response but the whisper of the wind.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

**_"-where we'll return for the news at three, with the groundbreaking ovation by Politician Aloysius Minch and his stance on Dalaamese immigration. Stay tuned after these commercials."_**

The portable television flashed with a toothpaste ad.

Ness's mom pushed the tap, shutting off the running water. She wiped her hands on the dishcloth, then leaned back against the sink.

Business in the food stand was slow. Fewer people traversed the streets on foot. The winter chill persuaded most people to stay home, or avoid the cold by transportation. The sudden series of kidnappings had caught Onett by storm. Students of all ages flocked together, traveling in groups to and from school. Mothers refused to let their children play out of sight, holding their hands and fussing over their clothes.

Ness.

Not a day passed without the chef thinking of her eldest son. She saw him everywhere. On the streets. Out in the park. Every black-haired child, every red baseball cap led her hopes up before her heart sank. No, that was not her son. Over and over. Again and again. And every time, she would breathe in and try not to cry.

_Mom,_ she knew Ness would've said, looking up with bright eyes, giving her the earnest smile he had inherited from his own father. From her ex-husband. _It's going to be okay._

She let out the choked feeling in her tight chest. Swallowing with difficulty, she took a second to compose herself. Just one. Then it was back to work. The food couldn't cook itself. Money couldn't earn itself.

At the very least, her job kept her busy in the morning. The worst part was coming home. As soon as she opened the front door, her youngest daughter would sprint downstairs as if the girl's very life depended on it. Tracy, with her distressed ponytail tied up from her part-time job at Escargo. Tracy, bounding forward with the same question on her lips. How the light in Tracy's eyes would die every time her mother came home, empty handed about the news of her son. As a mother, she could only placate her daughter with hugs and words.

There was only so much a mother could do.

Moms weren't heroes. Moms couldn't fix everything.

At night, the woman would slump against the table and rest her head against her hands. Praying for what, she didn't know. The police was their last hope. She couldn't go searching for her son, not when she had to take care of her daughter. She had already lost one child. She didn't think she could bear losing another.

"Yay, food!"

Composing herself, Ness's mom leaned over the counter. A tiny boy, about the age of an elementary school student, blinked up into her face. He was wearing a bright red cap, which swayed over his curly black hair.

"Hi," he chimed, clutching the edge of the counter on the tips of his toes. He cracked a toothy grin. Two of his tiny teeth were missing. "Do you have any burgers?"

She wanted to cry.

The chef managed a small smile. "Where are your parents?" she asked gently.

The little capped boy gave a happy kick onto the floor. His shoelaces were untied. "I dunno!"

As if on cue, a plump lady whom the chef assumed was his mother bustled into the canvas tent. Releasing a wordless exclamation, she grabbed her son by the arm. "There you are! How many times have I told you not to run off by yourself?"

"Moooom!" The boy tugged on his mother's hand. "I'm hungry. Can I get a burger? Please, mom?"

"Oh, for crying out loud," The plump lady sighed, then threw Ness's mom an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry. My son gets overexcited about food-"

"That's all right," the chef said softly.

"How much for the burger?"

"Five dollars."

The little boy's eyes brightened. "Do you cook steak?"

At the incredibly familiar expression, Ness's mother couldn't resist a laugh. "Yes, I do."

"One burger would be good," the plump lady said, placing a twenty on the counter.

A few minutes of flipping patties and squirting homemade sauces together, the chef returned with the wrapped burger. Upon hearing her, the kid looked up. His eyes widened, and he leaped out of his foldable seat, tiny hands already reaching for the burger.

"Careful, it's hot," the chef said, gently tucking the warm burger into his fingers.

Grabbing the burger, the child blew into the patty, then took a huge bite. The hot aroma of food wafted into the cold air in a milky steam of white.

"Fank oo'!" the child said, mouth full of food.

His plump lady rebuked him not to talk while chewing. Abashed, boy gave another toothy grin. With a last thanks and a '_Sowwy'_, the plump lady led her son out of the tent. They disappeared from the food stand as quickly as they had arrived.

The chef stared out after them.

Ness had liked steak. Ness had liked burgers too, didn't he?

Oh no, don't think about that. Don't think about that...

Her arms fell to her side. The spatula dropped against the ground.

She was pathetic. She could cook food for strangers, but she couldn't find her own son. Her own son. Her precious baby boy. As far as she could remember, Ness had always been there for her after the divorce, but the one time her son needed her, she couldn't help him.

Her eyes welled up with tears. She wiped them aside with a ragged breath. It was a little early to close up shop, but she might as well start now. She couldn't work. Not when she couldn't focus. She could always make up for the lost time. She turned around to slip the 'OPEN' sign to 'CLOSED.'

Just then, someone else sauntered in.

At the familiar set of hunched shoulders, Ness's mom felt her breath hitch. "No sign of them?" she whispered.

Flint shook his head. He wearily dropped down into a portable plastic seat. "You?"

"I'm afraid not." Ness's mother pursed her lips, then turning to the still-heating pan, cracked another egg. Runny yolk sizzled violently upon touching the heated pan. "You'll wear yourself out," she said quietly. "Go home and rest."

Flint buried his head into his hands.

Watching his hunched form, Ness's mom remembered what her son had first said about the twins.

_Mom...they're just like me._

At first, she had thought he had been talking about their overlapping similarities in character. Ness _did_ share some traits with each of the twins. Claus's hot heart. Lucas's maturity. But a nagging thought in the back of her mind told her that Ness had meant something else entirely.

All of a sudden, it made sense.

Ness had been talking about their families. The twins had a missing parent too, hadn't they?

With a clatter of a plate, a steak-filled omelet found its way onto Flint's table. Startled, Flint rose his head to survey the food, then lifted his hand to his wallet-

"Don't," Ness's mother said sternly, pointing at the dish. "It's on the house."

"I don't have time to eat. I have to find my sons-"

"Your sons need you alive and well."

Ignoring her, Flint gripped the table with rigid fingers. "I can help you close shop today," he said, rising up from his seat.

The chef stopped his path with crossed arms. "Flint, my son is missing too. Sit down and eat."

Flint couldn't argue against that logic. Resigning himself to defeat, he lowered himself back down, then picked at his food with a quiet _thanks_.

Ness's mom pursed her lips. "When was the last time you had a proper meal?"

"..."

She gave an exasperated noise, then sank into a chair across from him. "Flint, you are one stubborn mule."

Flint cracked a small smile. "I think that title's up for debate."

"Ai, ai, ai." Ness's mom shook her head. "No, I don't think I know anyone as stubborn as you."

**_"-this is how they play. Dirty. Dalaam doesn't let anyone into their walls, but we let them into ours. Look at the crime rate! This...destruction! Explosions. Mass terror. We need to protect ourselves from those communists. We need build a wall. We need to build a wall, and it has to be built quickly-"_**

Flint furrowed his brows.

Catching his expression, the Ness's mom soured. "Aloysius Minch," she muttered bitterly. "With all the chaos going around in the city, he's been taking advantage of everyone's fear. Pointing the finger at the Dalaamese? Ha! Imbecile."

"My wife was Dalaamese," Flint said slowly, resting his fork on his plate. "She certainly wasn't a terrorist."

"That man...ugh! Don't pay attention to him, Flint. I mean, I am too, on my great grandmother's side. Doesn't mean that I'm going to bomb Eagleland, am I? Better lock me up then. Ha!" Ness's mom furiously crossed her arms, shooting a dirty look at the television. "Doesn't Minch know? Dalaam reinforces the 'no immigration' law on its citizens too."

"What do you mean?"

"No outsider can enter Dalaam. If an inhabitant of Dalaam leaves the country, they can never return to Dalaam."

Flint paused. "I didn't know that."

Ness's mom sighed, resting her head on her arms. "Dalaam is very...strict. There is a certain secret about its people that the country doesn't want others to know. A secret that the country wishes to protect."

"Like...?"

All of a sudden, Ness's mom found the table interesting. "It's..."

The silence was suddenly broken by the sound of a ringtone. Stunned, the Ness's mom flipped open the phone. "Hello? Why yes, this is she." A startled pause. "You've caught the culprit?"

Hearing her alarmed tone, Flint lifted his head up.

"What do you mean you're closing up the investigation? My _son_ is still missing! You can't possibly close down the investigation with nine children and an adult MIA-"

Holding her phone, Ness's mother walked out into the kitchen. The volume of her voice rose in growing anger. Concerned, Flint was about to follow her until the flickering television screen caught his eye.

**"****_We interrupt this broadcast with LIVE news of the crime scene. The suspect of the serial kidnappings has been caught and identified as Lucky, the famous bassist of DCMC-"_**

Jerking his head up, Flint accidentally choked on his water. "Duster...?" he croaked in disbelief, recovering from his coughing fit.

**_"and has been charged on several accounts of statutory rape and child pornography. We are here at the Onett police headquarters, waiting for our man to arrive - Ah, there he is! _****_Duster, How do you feel about these accusations? Do you claim that you are innocent?"_**

**_"What?! Yes, I-"_**

**_"Is it true that you sexually assaulted your victims?"_**

**_"No!"_**

**_"We have eyewitnesses who reported you flirting with the waitress, Kumatora, hours before her kidnapping-"_**

**_"I wasn't flirting! She's my friend!" _**Duster said angrily, a surprising surge of rage cracking through his usually calm demeanor.**_ "Do I look like a criminal to you?! "_**

**_"Reportedly, you turned up at the police station with an unconscious Pokey Minch in your custody. Earlier that night, neighbors claimed seeing you with some of the missing children. Where are the missing children? And what do you have to say about the charges Aloysius Minch has pressed against you for kidnapping his son?"_**

**_"I didn't kidnap his son! Aloysius Minch was abusing him-"_**

**_"Lucas and his brother went missing in the recent weeks. Duster, how do you feel about the disappearance of your mentee? The last adult who spoke to Lucas before his disappearance was you-"_**

**_"I'm telling you, you've got the wrong man!"_**

Camera lights flashed everywhere. The furious babble of reporters closed in. The media was converging on the frightened man like bees swarming around honey. In the corner of the screen, some of the officers were struggling to restrain the DCMC, who were rushing forward to defend their band member.

**_"Listen, brah! I've known __Lucky for years. He'd never assault anyone. Hell, he wouldn't even harm a fly!"_** OJ cried, trying to rip his arm free.**_ "Lay off him, dudes, you're seriously starting to piss me off-"_**

An officer knocked him down. The screen flashed back to the reporter. **_"Chief Wess resigned after his son's arrest. He was unavailable for comment."_**

Blood roared in his ears. Flint slammed his palms down into the table. _"No."_

A hysterical laugh of disbelief came from the kitchen. Breathing heavily, Ness's mom stumbled back towards the table. With a choked "Thanks for calling," Ness's mom snapped off connection. Barely suppressing rage, she lowered the phone in her trembling grip.

"They're...They're closing up the case." Ness's mother laughed again, another hysterical sound. "Our _sons_ are still missing. Can you believe it? They _said_ that they're done because they've caught the culprit-!"

"They've got the wrong man," Flint said, his gaze cutting across her distressed form. "What did the police say?"

"Yesterday night, Lucky showed up at the station with an unconscious boy. Pokey Minch. When he was questioned about the child's suspicious injuries, Lucky directed it to parental abuse. But Minch's neighbors swore that they also saw Lucky with the _younger_ Minch son in the neighborhood _before_ the incident."

Flint stirred. "The younger Minch son?"

"Picky Minch. He went missing last month."

His frown deepened. "And the police _believed _them?"

"They have connections. The Minches were my neighbors before they moved out," Ness's mom said bitterly. "The wife is worse. Aloysius is bad enough, but the way Lardna treats her sons...it's disgusting. And with a serial kidnapper on the loose, this is the perfect excuse to cover up their crimes. One of their sons has "miraculously" gone missing and the other was found beaten half to death. Who would suspect a grieving family for domestic abuse?"

"They can't be serious."

"They are. The Minch family has already filed a testimony against your friend. Now, we have all these eyewitnesses stepping in to claim that Lucky had been coincidentally close to some of the other missing students, like that part-time waitress at Titiboo, and to..." Her voice faltered. "...your sons."

Flint clenched his fingers. "I don't believe it."

"Neither do I." Ness's mom cleared out the grill with an iron grate. She grabbed one end of the tent and flipped it up. "I smell bribery. It's a cover-up, I know it. Even if I never find my son, I'm going to make sure that he gets the justice he deserves."

"You don't believe it either?"

"I don't know about Duster, but if what you say about him is true..." She stubbornly shook her head. A hard glint lay in her eyes. "I've had my suspicions about the Minch family for a while. It's about time someone stood up to them."

Abruptly, she stalked away. Her oily apron fluttered in the wind.

Before the angry mother had taken two steps outside, Flint caught her wrist. "Your tent-"

"No time to pack."

"Let's take a minute and slow dow-"

She wrenched her wrist out of his grasp. There was a familiar fierce fire burning in her eyes: they beheld the wrath of a mother's anger, an unbridled force that destroyed all. "Don't you _dare_ try to stop me, Flint. I'm done with wasting my time. I'm done wasting my sweet time _waiting here_ while the police continue to play us for fools!"

She was breathing hard. Her fists stayed clenched at her sides; her eyes, wild and blazing from her outburst.

Somehow, Flint found something in himself to meet her gaze. "Both of my sons are missing," he said. His voice sounded strange in his own ears.

Ness's mom suddenly stilled. She didn't move a muscle.

Her hot temper. Her selfless sacrifice for her son.

She could have been a split double of Hinawa.

His throat closed up. He was grateful that his baritone could mask his voice in a gruff. "The police aren't going anywhere, so we'll pack up your tent, then head over to the station together."

Ness's mom fell silent. For a second, Flint thought that she was about to unleash the full glory of her motherly wrath on him, but slowly, she lifted her head.

"Flint, you wonderful man," Ness's mom suddenly said, wiping her eyes. "Do you have a ride?"

Awkwardly, Flint shook his head.

As if expecting that answer, she nodded, looking unfazed. "I thought you didn't. You always walk over to the stand. That's okay. Let's take my truck. There's some ash sprinkled over from the fryer, but we'll get there in one piece."

Just as if the day couldn't get any stranger, a honk of the horn from the sidewalk interrupted their conversation. They whirled around in the direction of the sidewalk, only to spot a car window sliding down.

"Need a ride?" a man asked nervously from the driver's seat.

Ness's mother jumped, exclaiming the stranger's name in shock. In an instant, her face had turned a frozen pale, her eyes watery as she lifted her hands to her mouth agape in an '_o'_.

Stepping out of the silver Volvo, the driver sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. He was a stocky man with messy black hair. "...Hi. I was on my way from work when I heard the news. Figured you would've gotten the call too and was heading back home, but I saw you from afar and thought you looked...slightly familiar..." He glanced at Flint, then flushed, his face turning a faint pink. "Ah...Is he...?"

The two parents quickly stepped away from the other.

"Acquaintances," Flint corrected, grimly tilting his hat over his face. "She's helping me out."

"Flint's sons went missing too," she clarified to the man's confusion. "The twins," she added, and realization dawned on the driver's face.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Flint." The stranger awkwardly extended his hand. "This isn't the best of circumstances to meet, but I'm sure that we'll find our sons soon."

Flint's eyebrows creased slightly. "Our sons?"

Finally getting over her shock, Ness's mother gave a curt nod. Her face had closed off. "Flint, meet my ex-husband. Ex-husband, Flint."

Ness's father winced. "Honey-"

"Don't you _honey_ me," she snapped, barging over to stand right in front of his face. "You've known where our son's been for the past week, and yet, you _still_ left me in the dark!"

"Uh, well..." Shrinking under her wrath, Ness's father threw Flint a panicked look, and with a grimace, Flint gave a helpless shrug. "H-Honey, I..."

Ness's mother wasn't impressed. "You _what?_"

Sensing a losing battle, Ness's father slumped over. "It's a long story," he mumbled. "I'll explain on the way."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Ness's father was a gentle giant.

In contrast to his hot-tempered wife, Ness's father was a patient spirit. His broad, stocky shoulders spoke of someone who had once been in shape, a shape worn out over years of desk work. All in all, blustering and good-natured, Ness's father gave off the impression of a very friendly teddy bear.

Ness's mom pointed outside. "Turn left on this corner."

"Here?!" Ness's father said in disbelief as if she had told him to drop dead.

"No, that's _Broadway Street._ I'm telling you, turn left on _Zin Avenue-"_

"Where's that?"

"The block ahead."

"Oh. I always thought that the "I" was an "E." Like _Zen Avenue._"

"How do you mistake an I for an E?" Ness's mom said, exasperated.

Ness's dad shrugged, flashing her a shy grin. "Accident...?"

Turning away, Ness's mom gave a contemptuous snort.

Exiled to the backseat, Flint awkwardly listened to the whispers of the _once-_couple. He tried to digest what he had been told. If Ness's father hadn't been lying, all of their sons were stuck somewhere outside city boundaries. Outside in Chimaera territory. His stomach sank.

Yet, one thought gave him hope.

"PSI..." Flint muttered, remembering the strange lights he had caught underneath closed doors. Claus had claimed that they were testing a new headlight for their solar car, and Flint internally cursed himself, wondering why he had not questioned him earlier.

But psychic powers...

Was it true? Could magic really exist?

Flint shook his head. Real or not, a grown psychopath was after his children. Even worse, a _psychopathic teacher_ from his sons' school. Flint clenched his fists, trying not to think about how many times his children had crossed paths with that...abomination.

This cleared any doubt from Duster's name. Duster had been innocent. He had been wrongfully framed.

Repressing the urge to punch something, Flint kept his hands fisted at his side. They trembled, shaking madly in withdrawal. Even over the past two weeks, his coordination had been off. His immense physical strain hadn't helped matters.

He missed his sons. Claus's tiny fingers delightfully curling up to meet his own in a childish wonder. Lucas's soft sigh escaping from his lips as he slept.

Flint squared his shoulders together.

Suddenly, the car screeched to a stop. On reflex, Flint braced himself before he could plow face-first into the seat.

"What was that-?" Ness's mom began.

"Roll the windows up," Ness's father said. His voice sounded unusually terse. "Now!"

A rabid face popped over the driver's window. The stranger was chanting something, his eyes bulging out of his face from intense emotion. "MINCH FOR PRESIDENT-!"

Swiping the gear in reverse, Ness's father slammed the accel so hard that Flint bumped his head against the hood. The car swerved in a circle, avoiding the crowd of marching people, then skidded back onto the road. Flint jerked his head up, waiting for an explanation, but Ness's father didn't say a single word until they had cleared the block.

Eventually, the engine hummed as they touched down in front of a cafe.

"Is everyone okay?" Ness's father relaxed, turning around. "Flint?"

Flint rubbed his head. "I'm fine."

Still frozen in shock, Ness's mom looked wide-eyed. "What was _that?"_

"We have a problem," Ness's father said, scratching the back of his head. "All roads to the station have been blocked off by mobs of Minch supporters."

"Why?" Flint said abruptly.

"I don't think that they're happy with keeping Lucky alive. They're saying things like _lynch him_ and _burn him at stake - _HOLY MOLY!" Ness's father jumped in his seat. "Did you _see_ that? That man just nicked that car with a beer bottle-"

"Unbelievable. The incompetency of the police is _unbelievable!"_ Furious, Ness's mother smacked her palms against the arms of the seat. "Where is the head of the department when you need him?!"

"I know where Chief Wess lives," Flint said suddenly.

Both of Ness's parents turned around to face him in shock. "You do?!"

"We live in the same neighborhood. Tazmily Village. It's a bit far from here-"

_"Nowhere's_ too far!" Ness's mother sat upright. Her eyes burned with a familiar fire. "If you know the chief in person, Flint, then that cuts us time. Lead the way."

"I can drive," Ness's father said meekly.

Ness's mom threw her ex an exasperated look, but Flint quickly placed a reassuring hand on the head of the driver's seat. "I'm recovering from withdrawal symptoms," the farmer said dryly. "You shouldn't let me drive your car."

Ness's mom gave a loud laugh at the remark. "Point taken. Well, if that's the case..." Her voice rose in disbelief. "Flint, did you _walk_ all the way to Onett?"

"Public transportation."

"Goodness gracious. Like I said, Flint, you're as stubborn as a mule-!"

Ness's father cleared his throat. "Flint," he said, suddenly feigning interest for the windshield. "I need directions to Tazmily."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

With the lack of early afternoon traffic, traveling to Tazmily only took an hour.

Needless to say, an hour had never seemed so long before.

While both of Ness's parents were courteous people, it was clear that they did not want to speak to each other. More specifically, it was doomed to be a one-sided conversation. Every time Ness's father would nervously bring a topic up to his wife, Ness's mother would suddenly seem incredibly hard of hearing. Whatever had caused their divorce was still fresh on their minds. It left Ness's mother simmering in disapproval and Ness's father slouched over the driving wheel.

It wasn't until halfway into the trip that the issue was finally brought up.

In the middle of the empty highway, Ness's father chanced a hesitant glance towards his fuming wife. "Um...hi."

Ness's mom ignored him.

Ness's father pretended to focus on the beautiful, windswept horizon ahead. "You...work in a street food stand now?"

"Part-time job," came the disgruntled voice.

"You don't have to," he mumbled, playing with his fingers. "I send you money."

"We get by well enough without your_ money."_

Unfazed by her reaction, Ness's father pressed her again for another response. "So, how...how are the kids?"

"Ness is missing," she said acidly.

Ness's father fidgeted in his seat. "Oh. Ah. Well...I guess there's that..." He faltered, fumbling around for something to say. "How were they? I-I mean, before he went missing..."

"It's nice to see that you finally care about your children more than your job," Ness's mother said bitterly.

Ness's father looked like he had been stabbed. Hurt, he lowered his eyes onto the steering wheel. "You didn't mean that," he said quietly.

Without saying anything, Ness's mom crossed her arms, then stared outside the window at the passing hills.

Ness's father bit his lip. "I still have it," he confessed, scratching the back of his neck. "The...The family picture. In my apartment."

Slowly, Ness's mother shifted. Her voice sounded softer. "The one from 20XX?"

"The very one."

Ness's mother cracked a small smile. "It's the wallpaper for my phone."

"Oh. Well, uh..." Ness's father trained his eyes back onto the road. "I've been thinking...When we find Ness...I'd want to-" He faltered. There was an awkward pause. "...play baseball. I owe him a game of baseball."

For some reason, Ness's mother looked disappointed. "Oh. Of course."

The rest of the trip was made in silence. To Flint's relief, they touched down at Tazmily Village in the late afternoon. There was a crunch of loose pebbles as the car shook and shuddered its way over the rocky dirt.

"Is this the house?" Ness's father whispered, eyeing the residence in high trepidation.

Flint nodded.

They parked the car by the curb.

Ness's father gave a hushed whisper. "...now what?"

With a sigh, Ness's mother gestured at the dark windows. "I don't think he's inside."

Cracking his knuckles, Flint lunged out of the car.

"F-Flint?!" Ness's father yelped. "Where are you...the what?!"

Flying up the porch, Flint noisily pounded the door with a hard fist. "Wess, I know you're in there," he growled. "_Open the door."_

Panting, Ness's parents caught up to him.

"F-Flint, let's try again tomorrow," Ness's father stammered, out of breath and clutching his side. "I don't think we should-"

Without so much a greeting, Flint wound up his arm and punched through the door. It splintered under his bare hands. "Wess!" he bellowed, barging in. "Explain yourself!"

"Quiet down, Flint!" Wess snapped, batting the broken door aside. "I suppose you heard the news too, huh?"

Flint lunged forward, slamming the man against the wall.

"Oh dear lord, he assaulted an officer," Ness's father said, sounding rather faint. He was about to intervene and separate the two until his ex pulled him back.

"Wait," Ness's mom said, training her eyes on the police chief.

"Where are my sons?" Flint asked in a deathly quiet voice, fingers digging into Wess's shirt collar. "There'd better be a _damn_ good reason why you're shutting down the investigation!"

"I never issued the order!" Wess snapped, trying to twist out of his grip. "This morning, I walked into my office, and then BAM! Some stranger barges in, bags my head, then pushes me out the front door!"

Flint paused, taking in his words. "You've been usurped."

Wess scowled. "Apparently." The chief pushed him aside, and this time, Flint didn't object, releasing him. "What a warm welcome this is. Hah!"

"Chief, I believe it's a set up." Ness's mother interrupted, dragging her flustered ex over. "We heard that your son was arrested on false charges-"

"Of course he was," Wess grunted. "Because of that _moron,_ I'd be damned if the public trusts me. No one does."

"We heard about Pokey's injuries. The Minches are trying to cover up an abuse."

At her words, Wess paused. "That's a serious accusation," he said, eyeing her grimly. "Do you have proof?"

"No, but as a former neighbor, I've seen how Lardna treats her sons-"

"Not good enough. The house was reported for two prior incidents of possible child abuse," Wess grunted, stuffing a jar of pickles into a burlap sack. "They came clear."

Ness's mom placed a hand to her forehead. "That can't be true."

"And that's where the madness lies." Wess opened his arms in sarcastic reverence. "Who would ever suspect Aloysius Minch, the Great Politician? They're calling him the _New Trump_ these days. What horse shit. He makes Trump look like a saint."

"But Pokey...if Pokey confesses, then everything would be over."

"If only it were that easy," Wess grunted, closing the sack. "Unfortunately, Pokey refused to cooperate. I don't blame the poor kid, to be honest. As much as the kid hates his parents, I don't think he's willing to part with them either." Wess hesitated. His eyes softened. "I know you mean well, but child abuse is complicated. Younger children often thrive on their parent's attention. Even if it is abuse...they'll take it if it's the closest thing they can get to love. If the children don't want to be parted from their parents, there is little the police can do to help."

Her shoulders sagged in defeat. "I see," Ness's mom said quietly.

Placing a reassuring hand on his ex's shoulder, Ness's father looked up. "Isn't there any way we can expose Aloysius Minch...? Or at the very least, protect his children?"

"Fat chance. My squadron turned against me. I'm supposed to be in a cell myself, but I managed to knock out my escort, taser the second, then made a break for it. I knew those thief skills would come in handy. You can't work for the law without knowing how the law works." Wess motioned with his hand. "No time to dawdle. I only stopped by to get some supplies."

"Are the police still after you?" Flint said, watching the windows in high alert.

"Not exactly, but there's no telling what they'll do to me if they see my face again." Wess grunted. His eyes flickered over their haggard expressions. "On behalf of the law enforcement, I apologize for giving you false hope. I thought we were above corruption. I thought that by becoming the chief, I could change a few minds...but I was wrong. Human nature is human nature." Bending over to sling a sack over his shoulder, Wess slouched under their eyes. "Flint," he said without meeting his eyes. "I'm sorry that I couldn't find your sons-"

"No!" Flint suddenly said, gripping his shoulders. "Wess, you have to help us."

Wess gave a bitter laugh. "Me? I'm a wanted man now. There's nothing I can do to help-"

"That's where you're wrong," Ness's father interrupted. A strange emotion flickered in his eyes. "Chief Wess, our sons are missing...but we haven't given up on them. Him. I believe in him. In my son." Something seemed to lodge itself in the man's throat. "I know my son, and I know that he can pull though. He can pull through, chief. All we ask for is your cooperation-"

"I can't help you."

"Chief Wess-"

"I'm a wanted man. As much as I want to help, I _can't_ help. So don't waste your time here!" Wess barked, then pointed at the door. "Leave!"

None of the parents moved.

A ripple of stubborn movement. Ness's father walked over and stood in front of him. "No," he said.

_"Civilian!"_ Wess threw him an angry scowl. "Do you _want_ to get arrested for treachery?"

Ness's father dropped to his knees. He sank his head into the floor.

Wess leaned away from the fallen man in disbelief. "What are you doing?!"

"I'll do anything. I'll...I'll do anything to change your mind."

"It's no use! I'm a wanted man. What, do you think I can magically teleport your son back to Onett?!"

"Please, officer. You're our last hope. The police have given up. All of the search parties have given up. Every single person in the law enforcement has given up. But you...you're the only person who can save my son. And even if you can't find him...even if we were too late to save him..." Ness's father was shaking against the floor. "...if you could...if you could just help us recover his b-body, we would be eternally grateful...because Ness wanted..._my son wanted..." _Ness's father gave a slow, shuddering gasp, then broke down into an uncontrollable wheeze. As if every word caused him pain. As if every word was killing him in the inside. "My son wanted to return home..."

The resulting silence was profound.

Watching him bleakly, Ness's mom blinked back tears from her own eyes. Suddenly, she staggered over to her defeated husband, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He embraced her back in a sob, burying his head into the comfort of her hair. They huddled together, two parents in grieving. Two parents in mourning. After days of denial, they had finally come to accept the loss of their son.

Ness could no longer be alive.

"Chief Wess..." Ness's mother now spoke for the two of them - her husband was unable to speak, having dissolved into an incoherent mess. "Please, all we want is to give our son a proper b-b-burial..."

Slowly, Wess walked over, then crouched down onto the floor. "There's no need for all this. Get up," he said gruffly, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. An undercurrent of kindness softened his tone. "Damn it. I can't leave civilians in distress. Violates my moral code. Fine. I don't know why you would, but if you _still_ believe in me...I can't give up, can I? Then I swear, I'll try. I won't get your hopes up, but I'll do my best. It's the least I can do as the former Chief of the Law Enforcement."

"Th-Thank you," Ness's father stammered, messy tears streaming down his face. His face fell back against the floor. "Thank you, chief...Th-Thank you..."

"Don't thank me yet. Thank me when we get out of this mess." Wess grunted, extending a hand. He pulled the man back onto his feet.

Wiping his eyes on his sleeves with a nod, Ness's father straightened his back. "O-Of course."

Flint silently watched their exchange. The lengths at which Ness's father had gone to ask for help. The way he was willing to sacrifice anything for his son. This Flint could relate to. This Flint could understand all too well.

It was as if a strange kinship had been born.

Feeling as if he should've stepped in earlier, Flint awkwardly patted the man in the back. "Don't give up on your son," he said in a low voice.

Ness's father quietly wiped his eyes. "I don't want to...," he muttered.

Trying to clear the tight feeling inside his chest, Flint forced a cough. "Let's head elsewhere before the police decide to swarm your house, Wess."

Ness's mother stood up. "If that's the case, I know someone who can help."

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Another hour of travel had led the bedraggled party to Podunk Estates. The dark mansion loomed over their heads in the flickering lamplight.

By the fountain, a guard dog _(Hello! My name is_ _Mick,_ its tag read) sat up on its haunches, eyeing sudden guests with no little curiosity. Upon verifying their identities at the front gates, the maid escorted them through the garden. Opening the front doors, she ushered the parents into the living room, where they met an assortment of velvet chairs and plush couches, and hurried out to inform her mistress.

Carol looked relieved to see them.

Reserved and quiet, Ninten's mother was a tall woman with thin lips. Her skin was a pale as paper. Dark blond hair curled in a pair of short ringlets tucked under each ear.

"So the police arrested someone without trial, and Chief Wess is wanted for treachery. I'm not surprised." Ninten's mother pursed her lips. Haughty portraits of old relatives glowered below them from the lofty mansion walls. "Sounds like a real cop out, if I ever heard one."

"Carol, you have to understand-" Ness's mom began.

"I know. My son has psychic powers, and my adopted brother is your main suspect for the kidnappings."

Wess's eyes widened. "Giygas is your adopted brother?"

"He is," Ninten's mom said dryly. "After my son went missing, I did some digging around. It was difficult, because my grandfather burned all of his personal records in our earlier years. Giygas later forged his own passports and personal documents under several pseudonyms. He had over ten aliases in the past decade." Ninten's mother stirred her tea. "I've noticed strange things about my brother after his recent reappearance. I suspect that higher manipulation is in play."

"Sounds troublesome," Wess grunted, leaning over on his knees. "I'm guessing that PSI is involved?"

Ninten's mother gave a curt nod. Her silver earrings tinkled. "I think the same."

The conversation was interrupted as a maid shuffled in. The young maid delicately stacked the empty tea cups onto her tray. Bouncing, blond curls framed her pretty eyes lined with purple eyeliner. "More Earl Gray, Mistress?"

"We're good for now. Thank you, Electra."

With a curtsy, Electra walked out on her white stocking feet.

"Miss Carol, we apologize for asking for your aid in our investigation. It was not my intention," Wess added with a scowl. "I don't usually put civilians in the line of fire-"

"Line of fire? I think that you are exaggerating a little, Chief." Ninten's mother gave a thin, vampirish smile strikingly similar to her son's. "This mansion is sound proof, X-ray proof, bullet-proof, and physically resilient. In addition, you are in the company of one of Onett's best Defense Attorneys. I'm glad that you have included my family into your investigation. Please, make yourselves comfortable." Ninten's mother rose. "I will inform your circumstances to my husband. He is home."

"Thank you, Carol," Ness's mom said quietly.

Cold heels clicking away, they watched Carol leave in a mix of awe and terror.

In the silence that followed, Wess gripped the sides of his cup with strained fingers.

"Flint," Wess muttered into his tea. When Flint looked up, Wess wouldn't meet his eyes, pretending to train his eyes on the tapestry. "There's something I need to tell you. Last week, Duster-"

The lawyer emerged with his wife at his side.

In stark contrast with the bumbling bear that was Ness's father, Ninten's father was a thin, wiry man. His presence demanded instant attention. Dressed in a crisp suit and tie, he left an impression of professionalism. The cold intensity of his eyes was hair-raising.

Ninten's father wasn't smiling. Pulling up the cuffs of his shirt, he sat on the edge of the sofa and planted his dress shoes against the floor. "My wife has informed me of our proceedings. Before we discuss our options, there are a few points I must address. Chief, the first thing we would need to know is whether we can bail your son out of jail."

"If he can't get himself out, then that's his fault." Wess grumbled and crossed his arms. "But I suppose we have no other choice. I don't have the moola, so we'll have to find another way. That moron is hopeless, I tell you."

Ninten's father nodded. "I know what you mean. My son should have known better than to go missing himself. It speaks of his poor reasoning skills."

The temperature plummeted.

Ninten's mother slowly rested a gloved hand on her husband's arm. "We must sound so callous to you," she said quietly, training her eyes onto the floor. "But please understand it is our way of coping. With every passing day, we struggle to keep our composure. To know that my brother was responsible for these crimes...we are ashamed. We are worried. We are _scared._ Our son has also been missing for over two weeks, and we would do anything to have him home. Isn't that right, honey?"

Her husband's expression softened a fraction. "Carol."

She met his eyes. "I know," she whispered.

At the embarrassingly intimate moment, Ness's father coughed into his tea.

His wife thumped him in the back. "Don't ruin their moment," she hissed.

Ness's father blushed a deep crimson, then quietly fumbled for her hand. Even more surprisingly, his ex-wife seemed to suffer a loss for words. But after a moment of hesitation, she slowly squeezed his hand back. Everyone fell silent; it was clear that they were thinking of their missing sons.

Flint and Wess shared a glance.

"Don't look at me like that!" Wess snapped. "I'm not holding your hand!"

Flint only gave a deep chuckle in response, then fixed his hat. "Don't you worry, old man. The feeling is mutual."

Ness's mother rose. "It's getting late," she said. Her eyes looked strangely misty. "Tracy should be back home from school..."

"I'll drive you home," Ness's father said quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, I can drive. I parked the truck by the food stand-"

"Tomorrow's a Saturday. No work," he added. "I can drive us there in the morning to pick your truck up."

"The truck..." Ness's mom paused, caught by a stray thought. "The last bus to Tazmily would have left for the day. Flint, do you have a ride home?"

Flint blinked. The thought hadn't crossed his mind. "I can stay at a hotel," he reassured her.

"You heard the man. He's got everything under control," Ninten's father said. Flint caught the subtle shift in his tone.

This man had something against him.

"That wouldn't do," Ninten's mom said with a frown. "We have plenty of guest rooms available. If we are providing temporary housing for Chief Wess, then I don't see why we can't extend the same courtesy to another friend."

Ninten's father suddenly choked on his tea.

Now, Ninten's mother faced Flint and addressed him directly. "Ken speaks very highly of your children. They make him happy. Sometimes, I think that Ken would rather stay at school than at home..." Her eyes flickered to the windows. Her voice took on an odd sadness. "Please stay. It is the least we can do to repay your sons' kindness."

"I appreciate the offer, but I can't intrude on your hospitality," Flint repeated firmly.

Carol didn't bat an eye at the rebuttal. "All of our sons are missing. We are on the same side."

"I can stay at the hotel-"

"We insist that you stay here." Ninten's father forced a pleasant smile onto his face. "It's more convenient if all of us are located in one place. There's no point in wasting your resources if we have guest rooms available."

Reluctantly, Flint sat down.

Ness's father clumsily stood up, knocking over the table. "Well, I guess this is our cue to leave."

"We'll see you all in the morning," Ness's mom said. Her eyes softened, flickering over to Flint's direction. "I'm sorry. If we had an extra guest room, we would have offered you our place-"

Flint coughed. His cheeks burned in embarrassment. He wasn't a charity case. It was mortifying that everyone felt compelled to help him in some way, especially since it was a generosity paid to _him_ instead of his _sons._ That thought didn't fit well in his head. "I'm all right."

Propping the table back up, Ness's father gave a soft chuckle under his breath. "I think we're overwhelming him. Don't worry, Flint. My wife will harass you again tomorrow."

This earned him a well-deserved smack in the arm from his scowling wife.

"What was that for?" Ness's father complained, rubbing his sore shoulder.

Ness's mother turned around with a huff. "Flint, we'll see you in the morning."

"Honey-"

_"No." _She stormed off.

Staring after his ex, Ness's father rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I'm working on it," he said.

Reaching up, Ninten's father gave the bigger man an awkward pat on the back. "It's not easy."

"Everything will turn okay, one way or another," Ness's dad said. He seemed hopeful.

As if on cue, Ness's mom reappeared into the room. She looked a little flustered. "I-I can't find my way out."

Hiding a small smile, Carol rose. "I'll show you to the door-"

"Carol, you are a _lifesaver."_ Ness's mom clasped her friend's hands. "Please. If there is anything we can do to help you and your family, just say the word-"

"Don't mention it. We're all in this together," Carol said softly. "Are you sure that you two don't want to spend the night? Our hospitality isn't limited exclusively to Flint-"

The lawyer's lips tightened at the corners.

Ness's dad waved her offer off. "Oh, _no,_ we shouldn't. Tracy's at home." On his way out, Ness's father suddenly stopped in front of the lawyer. The business man lowered his voice, but Flint managed to catch his quiet words. "Don't be rude."

The lawyer's expression rapidly turned sour. Stony-faced and tight-lipped, he sat, refusing to say a single word.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Ness's father drew on his coat and followed suit after his wife.

As the three parents left the room exchanging pleasantries and gratitude, Ninten's father stiffly jerked his head. "Chief Wess, let us discuss our options in my office. We are not too late to help our sons."

"Of course," Wess said gruffly, rising from the couch. "Thank you for your hospitality."

The lawyer's voice turned surprisingly warm. "You've helped me prove many of my clients innocent. Their lives have changed for the better." The lawyer smoothed out the wrist cuffs of his shirt. "I'm only repaying the favor. You _are_ our best hope in finding our sons."

Wess scowled and looked down into his tea cup. "Blast! That reminds me. About the missing children...I have something to say. It's-"

"One moment," Ninten's father interrupted. His eyes shifted over to Flint. His expression hardened. "We can continue talking in my office."

The two Tazmily men shared a confused glance.

Wess gave a grunt. "Flint deserves to know-"

Ninten's father rose. "We will sort it out in my office," he repeated. There was a slight edge in his voice.

"I want to hear what Wess has to say," Flint said firmly, meeting his eyes head on.

Ignoring him, the lawyer walked past. "Chief Wess, if you can follow me-"

Flint caught his arm.

Ninten's father looked at him in unveiled disgust. "Can I help you?"

"What do you have against me?" Flint said quietly.

There was an awkward pause.

Ninten's father studied Flint as if seeing him for the first time. He pulled his arm free from the loose grip. "Chief Wess, please wait in my office. I will join you shortly," he said without breaking eye contact.

Wess threw Flint an uneasy glance. He seemed unwilling to leave them alone, but Flint sent him a silent look. Catching his drift, Wess reluctantly disappeared into a corridor, leaving the two men to face each other alone.

Ninten's father pressed his lips into a hard line. His eyes hardened. "Your name is...Flint."

Flint raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

The lawyer didn't look amused by the response. His upper lip curled in distaste. "I will make one thing clear, _Flint_. We are allies. We are not friends."

Unfazed, Flint met his steady gaze. "You're right. It is impolite of me to stay here when I have other options for lodging."

The staring contest intensified.

Ninten's father gave him a careful look. "What are you doing?"

"I don't have time for this." Flint clenched his fingers. "I'm looking for my sons. You are too. What's your problem?"

The temperature plummeted.

Ninten's father closed his eyes. "I've studied law for years. I've cracked many cases in the past. Horrible ones. Some of which I wish I could forget. But there is one thing I have learned...I can tell when people are lying." Ninten's father opened his eyes. They glowed a bright amber around his dark pupils. "Forgive me if I don't take kindly to child abuse."

Something about his blunt accusation caught Flint off-guard. Disbelief colored his tone. "You think that I abuse my children."

Ninten's father twisted his lips into a hard line. "Your sons show obvious signs of parental neglect," he said. His eyes flickered down to Flint's shaking hands. "But is it neglect...or abuse? You have trouble with coordination. Withdrawal symptoms, I suspect. In addition, my son has told me some interesting things about your family. Things that could be used against you in court." He pressed his lips into a tight smile. "Be careful, Flint. I'd hate for you to lose custody of your sons."

Flint clenched his fists against the sinking pit in his stomach. "_I don't abuse my sons."_

"I hope you don't." A hard edge had entered the lawyer's tone. "My son has more than enough distractions at school. He's been getting ideas lately. Rebellious ideas from _your sons_ and _their upbringing-"_

"If you have a problem with me, then don't insult my sons!" Flint suddenly snarled. His voice deepened into a dangerous baritone. "Your son is clearly seeking attention, because you don't give him enough. So don't blame _my sons_ for your own incompetency-"

"My own incompetency? Don't make me laugh." The lawyer's eyes flashed. They looked dark red in the twilight. "Your family is a bad influence. Stay away from my son."

The curtains dropped over the windows.

On that dramatic note, Ninten's father shouldered past him.

.

.

.

~oO0Oo~

.

.

.

Stuck inside the mansion without much choice, Flint found himself drifting into thought. Unlike Ness's parents, Ninten's parents were emotionally conserved. They weren't difficult to read, but rather, difficult to understand.

On an unrelated note, for such a huge mansion, there seemed to be little staff. Aside from Electra, Flint had yet to spot anyone else.

Flint didn't know what to make of the maid. Electra was a quaint person. It seemed impossible to tell how old the maid really was; she possessed youthful eyes and features that reminded him of an ageless statue. Not one for conversation, Flint let his eyes drift over the family portraits on the walls.

The biggest one caught his eye.

A boy, no older than fifteen, was staring at the artist. His eyes, dark with pride, were the same amber shade as his father's. Pointed ears and a vampirish grin lent a bright air of mischief in his pale features.

_Ken,_ the inscription below read.

Flint halted in his tracks. The boy looked vaguely familiar.

"Master Ken is the son of my current mistress," Electra said, and Flint started with a jolt. He had not noticed her presence. Covering up his surprise with a cough, Flint lowered the brim of his hat. He took a longer look at the portrait.

Certain things began to jump out from beneath the shadows. The boy's unhealthy complexion. The hollow dip in his sallow cheeks. The glassy texture of his dull eyes. A hidden bitterness twisting his lips. How the boy's shoulders were hunched together, as if bracing himself against a heavy weight.

Upon closer look, the boy looked...unhappy.

"What work does his father do?" Flint said, filled with a sudden desire to sate his curiosity.

Electra blinked. "The Mister is the head of the Monotoli Law Firm. Long ago in his early years, the Mister earned the title when he cracked open the case of Gerdegarde Monotoli. When the Mister exposed him for corruption, Monotoli stepped down. The people of Fourside are forever in his debt."

Flint flashed back to his unpleasant encounter with the cold lawyer. The humanitarian description didn't match up with the man who had threatened him.

Beside him, Electra quietly observed the portrait.

Flint shifted in place. "I have a feeling that your employer doesn't like me," he said carefully.

Keeping her eyes on the portrait, Electra chose her words with equal care. "The Mister does not dislike people without reason."

As an employee, she was unable to speak ill of the family. She was probably sworn to secrecy.

Flint's shoulders sagged.

As if catching the motion, Electra looked straight into his face. Her eyes lost a little bit of their statuesque apathy. "Mr. Flint...if I dare say so myself...you do not strike me as a cruel man. I did not mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, but I was also surprised by the Mister's sudden hostility. Please, do not take the words of the Mister to heart..." Electra lowered her eyes. "Our family is going through hard times. The Mister is worried. Master Ken has been suffering from a terrible chronic illness-"

"Electra."

With a gasp, the maid turned around. Her face paled. "Mistress-!"

"I can show Flint to the guest bedrooms. Kindly tend to my husband's affairs."

Ashamed, Electra bowed her head. "Of course, mistress," she murmured. Without meeting Flint's face, she hurried away, averting her eyes.

Admittedly guilty for causing the maid trouble, Flint fingered the rim of hat. "It wasn't her fault. I was asking her questions."

"I don't intend to punish her. Electra is excellent at her job." Carol cracked a vampirish smile. "However, she has been sworn to secrecy about our private affairs."

In response, Flint said nothing, willing to leave the conversation there, but the graceful woman had caught sight of her son's portrait. Her eyes flickered with an unusual emotion. "Claus... Is that your eldest son?"

"Older twin," Flint said gruffly.

"Ginger hair?"

"Yes."

She fell silent. Her features looked wistful. "I would like to meet him one day." With those words, Ninten's mother turned away from her son's portrait. She walked down the hallway, then pushed open one of the doors. "I hope you find our guest room comfortable."

The room was magnificent. Ornate glass windows gaped from the edge of the ceiling. A King-size bed carved out of Mahogany wood rested against the maroon carpet. Delicate symbols were etched inside the wood in decoration. The dim chandelier lights glowed, waiting for full release on the flick of a switch.

It was different from the simplicity of Tazmily Village. The room was embellished with a luxury that even Yado Inn couldn't compare.

Something about that thought struck an odd chord inside him.

"Is the room not to your liking?" Ninten's mom asked. "Because we conduct business here, we have many guest bedrooms available-"

"No, this is perfect." Flint glanced back, feeling strangely helpless. "But I would like to help with the investigation-"

"We are not intentionally keeping you in the dark. My husband is currently discussing our options with Chief Wess. They will keep you updated in the morning. As of now, there is nothing either of us can do."

Flint closed his mouth. As much as he hated sitting around not looking for his sons, there was a point to her words. There _really_ was nothing left to do but wait. Moreover, Ness's parents had gone home for the night. They would be sure to stop by tomorrow for the next course of action.

A cell phone rang. Ninten's mom straightened up. She looked tired. "It seems like I have some unfinished business to attend to. If there is anything else you need, please, feel free to ask Electra. She will be happy to help you."

Flint awkwardly thanked her.

And as Carol walked away in a busy click of high heels, Flint wondered if this was just a normal day in young Ken's life.

* * *

**Author's Note: **

**Arggh so sorry for the two month wait! After all that exam cram, I missed writing like the dickens. **

**Applying to med school this summer really puts my life into perspective. Can't believe that I've written this fic for over two years...and it's _still_ not finished. GOSH DARN IT THIS FIC WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FINISHED 15 CHAPTERS AGO AGGH**

**I'll try to have Chapter 37 up as soon as I can. **

**Merry Christmas Eve. :)**

**Guest:** Ninten making a math pun is the _best_ pun. ;) Gotta love that math haha

**Shimo no ko:** As I began to develop Giygas's character, I surprised myself. He shows symptoms of **Asperger's Syndrome**. Giygas has a hard time with eye contact at points. He taps his fingers. There's little rhymatic ticks, or eye flickering that he does a lot more often than other characters. It surprised me much more than it should have, but strangely enough, it fits with his character. He's _alien_ to other people around him, and is shunned by other people in society. A fitting image, I think, for a Human Giygas.

**Connor:** It's okay. I don't mind long reviews, and I'm sure it applies vice-versa. Plus math is good. :) I'll get to reviewing Ceres today. MCAT prep has kept me busy. :) Your uncle did math on how penguins huddle? YOUR UNCLE IS GIYGAS, CONFIRMED. Haha, jk. And yeah, I really felt compelled to add in the smell of popcorn. Dunno why. It's something I notice at all the other fairs as a kid.

**DarkFoxKit:** You got it. I love this story because it has the potential to make so many unexpected twists. Takes people along for the ride. :) Ahhh thank you~ I will so my best to impress (heh that slang rhyme). Hashtag thuglife.

**Anon:** Dude. DUDE. WHAT THE HECK haha wow talk about a deep analysis! I'm impressed. :) Oh no, sore fingers? Thank you, first off, for writing such a dedicated review. I love it when my reviewers decide to analyze this story, and LOVE IT MORE WHEN THEY CRITICIZE ME. I want to improve, and concerning your points, I will do my best to address each one. First off, I agree that my first chapter is weak. My first chapters PLURAL are weak. My writing is widely inconsistent before chapter 30, and every time I force myself to read these chapters, I want to cry. Good thing we have an editing tool, right? ;) On the topic of Giygas, I have heard thy prayers, and did my best to make Chapters 9 and 10 sound somewhat passable to his current character. Because let's face it, Giygas _did_ sound like a "generic asshole teacher." Man, I love your quotes. They made me laugh like crazy. Honest to god, I loved your play on words. XD As for my first chapter...no worries. I gotchu. I'm still thinking about how to make it sound less like a bad face-to-palm anime. Not there yet, but still thinking. As awful as it sounds, the first chapter _starts off_ like that for a reason. I'm not making major spoilers, but the conclusion (I have as of now) will make an echo to the beginning. But to clarify, **the final scene of this ****story will not end with a predictable "Ness, Ninten, Lucas, Claus go back to school."** Come on, we all know that's overused. I'm not going down that route. ;) Heh, nobody knows if this will end as a tragedy or as a happy story. Who knows? Could be both. Or either.

Thank you very much for your love on the characters. :) Your'e right. Ness does seems kinda...there. Like _just chillin' there_ compared to all the other protags. I agree he's kind of hard to describe. Being a generic Momma's boy and all. I know a lot of people like to write Ness as a rebellious teen, but in my eyes, I write him as a sweet kid. A little idealistic, perhaps, but it complements Lucas's maturity and balances out Claus and Ninten on the other end of the goodie-two-shoes spectrum. Ness completes the four-protag-wheel, and he creates balance as a rational, loyal leader.

This story has a lot of room to improve, but I'm so happy that you enjoy it very much. :) I'm constantly trying to improve this story, because it's the _only_ story I've ever felt compelled to care enough about, and I'm glad it shone through. :) And I dunno if you'll read this giant ass response, but you didn't have a PM, so this was the only way I could explain everything. **TO MY OTHER REVIEWERS WHO READ THIS: PLEASE DON'T BE SAD I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS TOO I SWEAR I'M NOT PLAYING FAVORITES AHHH**

**Guest:** Thank you so much! Means a lot to me that this is your favorite fanfic. Aahhh improvement is always great. ^_^ And omg haha you're that guest who called Fassad a female dog? BRILLIANT! XD

**PSIBoy jk not really:** Again, PSIBoy, it's okay. Life happens. :) Feel free to review at your own pace. Or rather, review whenever you feel like it! As much as I love reviews, writing reviews shouldn't be an obligation. I FORBID IT TO BE AN OBLIGATION. I mean, dude, I update like one a month if I'm lucky. Or two months. I can't really hold all my reviewers to that standard if I'm busy all the time too, right? ;) And I don't mind if your review's short. :) Honestly, I love your reviews because they're like a second eye. You aren't afraid to voice if anything sounds OoC, and you're quick to point out any irregularities in the plot. So yeah, not having anything to say/pick out is actually a good thing. It means that my stuff makes sense. Yaaay XD

**Guest:** Dude, this scientific review had the best timing ever. Legit read this two hours before my Biology Final. XD I'm guessing that you played the Earthbound/Mother games, because I'm reading over your review and seeing you pick out all these PP items (heh PP). And no, that's an interesting question you posed - you're not overthinking, I promise! It's difficult to quantify, because this story isn't an RPG, but **I would agree that Ninten's study practice has increased his "PP."** PSI is easier to use with better focus. **But while studying has arguably increased Ninten's "PP" reserves, I would say that there is second _psychological_ reason involved.** Learning how to overcome his personal struggles helped Ninten clear out his mind. It's difficult to focus when you're constantly distracted by your own inferiority. :) Hope this helps!


End file.
